Document Detail


Estimating and operating on discrete quantities in orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus).
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  10890585     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
This study investigated the ability of 3 male orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus; 1 subadult, 2 adults) to estimate, compare, and operate on 2 sets of small quantities (1-6 cereal bits). Experiment 1 investigated the orangutans' ability to choose the larger of 2 quantities when they were presented successively as opposed to simultaneously, thus being perceptually unavailable at the time of choice. Experiment 2 investigated the orangutans' ability to select the larger quantity after the original quantities were augmented or reduced. Orangutans were capable of selecting the larger of 2 quantities in Experiment 1. There was also some evidence from Experiment 2, albeit weaker, that orangutans may mentally combine quantities (but not dissociate) to obtain the larger of 2 quantities. This study suggests that orangutans use a representational mechanism (especially when comparing quantities) to select the larger of 2 sets of items.
Authors:
J Call
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Journal of comparative psychology (Washington, D.C. : 1983)     Volume:  114     ISSN:  0735-7036     ISO Abbreviation:  J Comp Psychol     Publication Date:  2000 Jun 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2000-10-31     Completed Date:  2000-10-31     Revised Date:  2007-11-14    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  8309850     Medline TA:  J Comp Psychol     Country:  UNITED STATES    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  136-47     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Max-Planck-Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany. call@eva.mpg.de
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Animals
Choice Behavior*
Humans
Male
Memory, Short-Term*
Pongo pygmaeus / psychology*
Size Perception*
Grant Support
ID/Acronym/Agency:
RR-00165/RR/NCRR NIH HHS

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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