Animal intelligence Flashcards
What is animal intelligence?
The ability to solve problems in complex situations through flexible means
What are the theories behind the evolution of intelligence?
> Common ancestry
> Convergent evolution
What are the two approaches to studying the evolution of intelligence?
> Biological (Ecological approach)
> Psychological (Anthropocentric approach)
What are the two views of animal intelligence?
> General process view
> Adaptive specialisation view
What is the general process view?
> Common intellectual problems shared across species
> Similarity in intellectual processes across species
What is the adaptive specialisation view?
> Each problem requires an independent process
Each niche has unique problems
Different species have evolved different mechanisms
What was the Wisconsin General Testing Apparatus?
> Discrimination learning procedure in monkeys
Two stimuli (only 1 rewarded)
Tests for ‘win stay, lose shift’ rule
What did Harlow find?
> Wisconsin General Testing Apparatus
~75% correct by 6th trial
Repeated with different stimuli
98% correct by second trial
What is Serial Reversal Learning?
> Interspecies intelligence test > Teach to discriminate stimuli (90% accuracy) > Reverse contingencies > Measure number of errors after shift > Tests 'win shift, lose stay' rule
What did Bond et al (2008) find?
> Serial reversal learning
Jay species
Pinyon jays outperformed others - most social tested
Behavioural flexibility related to social complexity
What did Amici et al (2008) find?
> Delayed gratification in monkeys and apes
> Found Fission-Fussion societies had greater delayed gratification than those with cohesive social groups
What did Hermann et al (2007) find?
> Tested physical and social learning across humans, chimpanzees and orangutans
Similar performance on physical tasks
Humans significantly outperformed on social measures
What are the features of animal intelligence?
> Collection of abilities > Adaptive > May increase reproductive fitness > Domain general > Evolved
