Transcript No Slide Title

Irene Pepperberg and ALEX
(African Grey Parrot)
Alex taught with
MODEL/RIVAL SYSTEM
Power of the Unconscious
John Bargh asked subjects to sort word groups
into sentences:
~ the behaved aggressively dog
~ sleep noises disturb loud
~ for patiently waiting midnight
~ man courteous was the
GROUP ONE
~ the behaved aggressively dog
~ sleep noises disturb loud
Waited average of 5 minutes
GROUP TWO
~ for patiently waiting midnight
~ man courteous was the
Waited almost 10 minutes, 82% entire 10 min period
Self-Awareness Evidence in non-human animals?
Gallup 1970, 1982
Painted red dot on forehead
of mirror-familiar primates.
Gallup 1970, 1982
Painted red dot on forehead of mirrorfamiliar primates.
Chimps, orangutans and 18 month +
old children inspected self in mirror.
Gallup 1970, 1982
Chimps, orangutans and 18 month +
old children inspected self in mirror.
Monkeys, gorillas and children under 18 m
did not.
Similar results in dolphins:
Inspected magic marker dots in
mirror
Is mirror recognition a good test of
self-awareness?
~ Children don’t touch noses until 15-18 months
~ What if species doesn’t touch its face?
Self awareness vs.
Self recognition
~ Female doves have
site in brain that recognizes
their own “coo”
~ Song birds have site iin
brain that recognizes their
own song.
Is self-awareness first step toward
COGNITIVE EMPATHY?
EMPATHY
Ability to put one’s self in another’s place
Requires “theory of mind”
Not inherently related to kindness
SYMPATHY
~ Empathy, plus concern
~ Understanding and CARING
about another
Video …
PRIME TIME PRIMATES
(also at Primate Library)
How would Frans de Waal
explain the organutan results?
BIOL: Bonding and Identification-based
Observational Learning
* Learning driven by a desire to conform,
to fit in.
* Distinguish from Operant Conditioning
CONCIOUSNESS: What is it?
R. Boakes: “Attributing conscious thought to
animals should be strenuously avoided in any serious
attempt to understand their behavior, since it is
untestable, empty, obstructionist and based on
a false dichotomy. . .”
Tononi (UW-Madison)
Result of communication between
different parts of the brain…?