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Related Experiment Videos

Can rhesus monkeys spontaneously subtract?

G M Sulkowski1, M D Hauser

  • 1Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.

Cognition
|February 13, 2001
PubMed
Summary
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Rhesus monkeys can spontaneously calculate subtraction outcomes with up to three items without training. These findings reveal complex numerical cognition in primates, even when object identities differ.

Area of Science:

  • Comparative Cognition
  • Primate Behavior
  • Numerical Cognition

Background:

  • Many animals demonstrate numerical abilities, often requiring extensive training.
  • Recent research explores spontaneous numerical understanding in animals and human infants.
  • Understanding non-verbal numerical computation is key to understanding brain function.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the capacity of rhesus monkeys for spontaneous numerical computation.
  • To examine their ability to calculate the outcome of subtraction events without prior training.
  • To explore the limits and conditions of their spontaneous numerical representations.

Main Methods:

  • Eleven experiments were conducted with semi-free-ranging adult rhesus monkeys.
  • A novel method involved presenting objects on occluded stages, followed by subtraction events.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Monkeys chose between stages, with food rewards indicating correct computation of subtractions.

    • Main Results:

    • Rhesus monkeys accurately computed subtraction outcomes for quantities of three or fewer items.
    • Performance was maintained even with differing object identities and when distinguishing food from non-food items.
    • Monkeys demonstrated representation of zero and equality in numerical comparisons.

    Conclusions:

    • Rhesus monkeys possess spontaneous numerical subtraction abilities, challenging previous training-dependent models.
    • These findings suggest sophisticated numerical processing in non-human primates.
    • The study contributes to understanding the neural basis of number representation in animals lacking language.