Cognition

Social Learning Mechanisms

Social Learning Mechanisms Mechanisms

Stimulus or Social Enhancement (instrumental) Drawn to object by conspecific could learn via trial and error

Observational Fear Conditioning (classical) UR caused by a conspecific

Mimicry (“Monkey See-Monkey Do”) Copy for copying sake

Imitation (copy to get goal) Copy exactly to get the same goal as the

demonstrator Self vs. Other Perspective (“Theory of mind”)

Food Preferences and Enhancement

Rats prefer foods eaten by conspecifics not simply, smell of food associated with smell

of the model rat rear end vs. front end matters asleep vs. awake doesn’t social (rat) vs nonsocial (cotton ball) matters

Avian Bottle Openers

Enhancement + Instrumental

Observational Conditioning via Pavlov

Model US

Snake CS

Observer(Frightenedby model’sreaction)

Mimicry, Imitation, Emulation

Mimicry Not intentional

Imitation Imitation, slavish copying with a goal Emulation, non-slavish copying with a goal

(could be “copying of goal” + “trial and error”, or problem solving)

Emulation vs. Imitation

Push Pull

Ghost

Model

Movement

Results of Tomesello (2006)

Children

Theory of Mind

• Understanding that others have mental processes that may differ from one’s own

EmotionsKnowledgeVisual Perspective

Knowledge AttributionPovinelli (1991)

Knower – sees food being hidden Guesser – outside of room

Stage 1: As aboveStage 2: Knower wears hatStage 3: Guesser stays in room with a

bagged head

Chimpanzees(Great Apes)

Rhesus Monkeys(New World)

Alternative

Did chimps discriminate between the two situations based on subtle differences in how the “guesser” and “knower” acted?

Maybe they choose the one with eyes open during hiding?

“Begging Experiment” Povinelli (1999)

Beg from “seeing” vs. “nonseeing”

Front vs. Back – Yes Pail Beside vs. Over Head - No Averted Eyes vs. Over Shoulder Look –

No Blindfold Mouth vs. Blindfold Eyes - No

“Chimps Fail Begging Experiment”

“Elephants Pass Begging Experiment”

However, this doesn’t imply elephants can “mind-read”

Mark TestGallup’s Mark Test (Great Apes)

Mirror self-recognition: Chimp, Bonobo – Yes Orang-utan, Gorilla – Yes Elephants – Maybe? Dolphins –Maybe? Pigeons –No

Human versus Chimps

Mind-reading Pointing Impulsive Cooperation Imitation Vis Memory Aud Memory Deception

Poor No More Trainable Emulation Better Good Poor

Good Yes Less Spontaneous Slavishly Good Better Excellent

Skill ChimpHuman