Using robots to understand animal cognition

Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior
Anna FrohnwieserAnna Wilkinson

Abstract

In recent years, robotic animals and humans have been used to answer a variety of questions related to behavior. In the case of animal behavior, these efforts have largely been in the field of behavioral ecology. They have proved to be a useful tool for this enterprise as they allow the presentation of naturalistic social stimuli whilst providing the experimenter with full control of the stimulus. In interactive experiments, the behavior of robots can be controlled in a manner that is impossible with real animals, making them ideal instruments for the study of social stimuli in animals. This paper provides an overview of the current state of the field and considers the impact that the use of robots could have on fundamental questions related to comparative psychology: namely, perception, spatial cognition, social cognition, and early cognitive development. We make the case that the use of robots to investigate these key areas could have an important impact on the field of animal cognition.

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Citations

Jan 11, 2017·Scientific Reports·Violet MwaffoMaurizio Porfiri
Jan 14, 2018·Scientific Reports·Changsu KimMaurizio Porfiri
Jan 10, 2018·Integrative Zoology·Anna FrohnwieserAnna Wilkinson
Dec 3, 2016·Chaos·Igor V Belykh, Maurizio Porfiri
Feb 24, 2017·Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior·Tommaso RubertoMaurizio Porfiri
Feb 12, 2020·Learning & Behavior·Muhammad A J Qadri, Robert G Cook
Aug 3, 2017·Chaos·Daniele NeriMaurizio Porfiri
Nov 16, 2018·Biological cybernetics·Donato RomanoCesare Stefanini
Apr 25, 2019·Ecology and Evolution·Matthew Walker, Stuart Humphries
Aug 14, 2019·Frontiers in Robotics and AI·Yanpeng YangMaurizio Porfiri
Nov 15, 2020·Progress in Neuro-psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry·Mert KarakayaMaurizio Porfiri
Apr 4, 2021·Animals : an Open Access Journal From MDPI·Margaret PritchettCandace Croney
Mar 13, 2019··Yanpeng YangStefano Ghirlanda

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