Tubes, tables and traps: great apes solve two functionally equivalent trap tasks but show no evidence of transfer across tasks

Animal Cognition
Gema Martin-OrdasFernando Colmenares

Abstract

Previous studies on tool using have shown that presenting subjects with certain modifications in the experimental setup can substantially improve their performance. However, procedural modifications (e.g. trap table task) may not only remove task constraints but also simplify the problem conceptually. The goal of this study was to design a variation of the trap-table that was functionally equivalent to the trap-tube task. In this new task, the subjects had to decide where to insert the tool and in which direction the reward should be pushed. We also administered a trap-tube task that allowed animals to push or rake the reward with the tool to compare the subjects' performance on both tasks. We used a larger sample of subjects than in previous studies and from all the four species of great apes (Gorilla gorilla, Pan troglodytes, Pan paniscus, and Pongo pygmaeus). The results showed that apes performed better in the trap-platform task than in the trap-tube task. Subjects solved the tube task faster than in previous studies and they also preferred to rake in rather than to push the reward out. There was no correlation in the level of performance between both tasks, and no indication of interspecies differences. These data are cons...Continue Reading

References

Mar 1, 1995·Journal of Comparative Psychology·L LimongelliE Visalberghi
Mar 1, 1994·Journal of Comparative Psychology·E Visalberghi, L Limongelli
Aug 2, 2002·Animal Cognition·Jackie Chappell, Alex Kacelnik
Jul 30, 2003·Journal of Experimental Psychology. Animal Behavior Processes·Kazuo FujitaSaori Asai
Apr 4, 2006·Current Biology : CB·Amanda M SeedNicola S Clayton
Apr 14, 2006·Animal Cognition·Nicholas J Mulcahy, Josep Call
Aug 9, 2006·Journal of Comparative Psychology·Anne E HelmeNathan J Emery
Dec 16, 2006·Animal Cognition·Sabine TebbichNicola S Clayton
Feb 6, 2008·Journal of Experimental Psychology. Animal Behavior Processes·Antje GirndtJ Call

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Jul 26, 2008·Animal Cognition·Amanda E BaniaSarah T Boysen
Feb 25, 2009·Animal Cognition·Cornelia Schrauf, Josep Call
Dec 7, 2010·Animal Cognition·Héctor Marín Manrique, Josep Call
Mar 23, 2012·Animal Cognition·Gerit Pfuhl
May 1, 2012·Animal Cognition·Gema Martin-OrdasJosep Call
Sep 18, 2008·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·A H TaylorR D Gray
Jan 7, 2014·PloS One·Rossella FalconeAldo Genovesio
Mar 16, 2016·Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews·Emanuelle ReynaudFrançois Osiurak
May 21, 2008·Child Development·David ButtelmannMichael Tomasello
Feb 26, 2013·American Journal of Primatology·Fay E Clark, Lauren J Smith
Aug 27, 2015·Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews. Cognitive Science·Alex H Taylor, Russell D Gray
May 1, 2014·Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews. Cognitive Science·Alex H Taylor
Sep 23, 2014·American Journal of Primatology·Juliane Bräuer, Josep Call
Sep 2, 2009·Communicative & Integrative Biology·Alex TaylorRussell Gray
Jul 23, 2013·Current Biology : CB·Gema Martin-OrdasJosep Call
Mar 31, 2009·Current Opinion in Neurobiology·Nathan J Emery, Nicola S Clayton
Dec 10, 2013·Cognition·Christoph J Völter, Josep Call
Jun 16, 2012·The Behavioral and Brain Sciences·Krist Vaesen
Sep 11, 2014·The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology : QJEP·Nicola S Clayton
Jun 17, 2016·Cortex; a Journal Devoted to the Study of the Nervous System and Behavior·Daniel J Povinelli, Scott H Frey
Sep 19, 2016·Animal Cognition·Jayden O van Horik, Nathan J Emery
Nov 12, 2016·Cognition·Toyomi Matsuno, Masaki Tomonaga
Mar 24, 2017·American Journal of Physical Anthropology·Christophe BoeschAmelia Meier
Nov 20, 2019·The Behavioral and Brain Sciences·François Osiurak, Emanuelle Reynaud
May 7, 2020·Frontiers in Psychology·Peter Gärdenfors
Feb 23, 2017·Frontiers in Psychology·Johan LindMagnus Enquist
Jul 30, 2020·Scientific Reports·Katarzyna BobrowiczMathias Osvath
Oct 23, 2020·Animal Cognition·F Blake Morton
Dec 9, 2020·Learning & Behavior·Laurie O'NeillAuguste M P von Bayern
Oct 30, 2020·Frontiers in Psychology·María J Cabrera-Álvarez, Nicola S Clayton
Jul 10, 2021·Nature Human Behaviour·François OsiurakEmanuelle Reynaud
Jul 13, 2021·Journal of Experimental Child Psychology·Isabelle FournierFrançois Osiurak

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.