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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 24, 2026

Non-aversive Animal Restraint Enabling Recording of Optomotor Reflex in Ground Squirrels

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Published on: July 25, 2025

The Thatcher illusion in squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus).

Ryuzaburo Nakata¹, Yoshihisa Osada

¹Department of Psychology, Rikkyo University, 1-2-26 Kitano, Niiza City, Saitama, Japan. ryu3@med.u-toyama.ac.jp

Animal Cognition

|March 14, 2012

Summary

Squirrel monkeys exhibit the Thatcher illusion, indicating configural face processing similar to humans. This suggests their social cognition relies on recognizing subtle facial feature arrangements.

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Area of Science:

Primate cognition
Neuroscience
Animal behavior

Background:

Humans and Old World monkeys use configural face processing for individual recognition.
Configural face processing involves perceiving subtle differences in facial feature arrangements.
This ability is crucial for social cognition.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate if New World monkeys, specifically squirrel monkeys, exhibit the Thatcher illusion.
To assess face processing abilities in squirrel monkeys.

Main Methods:

Squirrel monkeys were trained to discriminate between target and altered distracter faces.
Faces were presented in upright and inverted orientations.
Distracter faces had altered features, particularly rotated eyes (180°).

Main Results:

Squirrel monkeys' discrimination learning was significantly impaired when both faces were inverted and the distracter's eyes were rotated 180°.
This impairment suggests the experience of the Thatcher illusion.

Conclusions:

Squirrel monkeys demonstrate the Thatcher illusion, indicating configural face processing.
This suggests squirrel monkeys utilize facial configurations for individual recognition.
Facial configuration information likely plays a role in squirrel monkey social communication.