Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 31, 2026
08:42
Assessment of Social Cognition in Non-human Primates Using a Network of Computerized Automated Learning Device (ALDM) Test Systems
Published on: May 5, 2015
Do chimpanzees seek explanations? Preliminary comparative investigations
D J Povinelli1, S Dunphy-Lelii
1Cognitive Evolution Group, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, 4401 W. Admiral Doyle Drive, New Iberia, LA 70560, USA.
Summary
Chimpanzees and young children explore unexpected task failures, suggesting a shared cognitive drive to find explanations for events. Both species show curiosity when faced with the unexplainable.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Science
- Comparative Psychology
- Primatology
Background:
- Research investigates whether chimpanzees understand unobservable variables for observable events.
- Studies explore chimpanzee reasoning in physical causality (gravity, force) and social causality (mental states).
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if chimpanzees' object exploration is influenced by a cognitive system seeking explanations for unexpected events.
- To compare chimpanzee and young child reactions to task failures.
Main Methods:
- Chimpanzees and young children were presented with simple tasks that occasionally failed.
- Reactions to task failures were coded to assess the search for apparent causes or explanations.
Main Results:
- Preliminary results indicate both similarities and differences in how chimpanzees and young children respond to unexpected task failures.
- The findings suggest a potential shared mechanism for seeking explanations in both species.
Conclusions:
- Chimpanzees may possess a cognitive system that motivates seeking explanations for unexpected events.
- Further research is needed to fully elucidate the similarities and differences in causal reasoning between chimpanzees and humans.
Related Concept Videos
02:30Naturalistic Observations
If you want to understand how behavior occurs, one of the best ways to gain information is to simply observe the behavior in its natural context. However, people might change their behavior in unexpected ways if they know they are being observed. How do researchers obtain accurate information when people tend to hide their natural behavior? As an example, imagine that your professor asks everyone in your class to raise their hand if they always wash their hands after using the restroom. Chances...
01:13Nonconscious Mimicry
Nonconscious mimicry occurs when individuals alter their mannerisms to match the behaviors and expressions of those nearby, without intention.
01:54Convergent Evolution
Evolution shapes the features of organisms over time, ensuring that they are suited for the environments in which they live. Sometimes, selection pressure leads to the rise of similar but unrelated adaptations in organisms with no recent common ancestors, a process known as convergent evolution.The structures that arise from convergent evolution are called analogous structures. They are similar in function even if they are dissimilar in structure. Further, structures can be analogous while also...
02:31Synteny and Evolution
John H. Renwick first coined the term “synteny” in 1971, which refers to the genes present on the same chromosomes, even if they are not genetically linked. The species with common ancestry tend to show conserved syntenic regions. Therefore, the concept of synteny is nowadays used to describe the evolutionary relationship between species.
Around 80 million years ago, the human and mice lineages diverged from the common ancestor. During the course of evolution, the ancestral chromosome underwent...
Around 80 million years ago, the human and mice lineages diverged from the common ancestor. During the course of evolution, the ancestral chromosome underwent...
01:20Evolutionary Psychology
Evolutionary psychology explores the origins of human behavior and mental processes by framing them within the context of natural selection, a theory famously propounded by Charles Darwin. This field asserts that many behaviors common across human societies — ranging from instinctive fear reactions to complex social interactions — arose as evolutionary adaptations. These adaptations enhanced the survival and reproductive success of our ancestors, thereby becoming embedded in the human psyche...
01:21Cognitive Learning
Cognitive learning is based on purposive behavior, incidental learning, and insight learning.
E. C. Tolman's theory of purposive behavior emphasizes that much behavior is goal-directed. He argued that to understand behavior, we must look at the entire sequence of actions leading to a goal. For instance, high school students study hard, not just due to past reinforcement but also to achieve the goal of getting into a good college.
Tolman introduced the idea that behavior is influenced by...
E. C. Tolman's theory of purposive behavior emphasizes that much behavior is goal-directed. He argued that to understand behavior, we must look at the entire sequence of actions leading to a goal. For instance, high school students study hard, not just due to past reinforcement but also to achieve the goal of getting into a good college.
Tolman introduced the idea that behavior is influenced by...