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Monkeys exhibit prospective memory in a computerized task.

Theodore A Evans1, Michael J Beran

  • 1Language Research Center, Georgia State University, University Plaza, Atlanta, GA 30302, USA. theodore.evans@gmail.com

Cognition
|August 14, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

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Monkeys demonstrated prospective memory (PM), the ability to remember future intentions. They successfully executed PM tasks, with some even acting on intentions without external cues, suggesting PM is not unique to humans.

Area of Science:

  • Cognitive psychology
  • Animal behavior
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Prospective memory (PM) is crucial for daily functioning, involving future intention formation and execution.
  • Research on PM in non-human animals is limited, leaving its evolutionary origins and cross-species presence largely unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate prospective memory (PM) capabilities in non-human primates.
  • To determine if monkeys can encode, store, and execute future intentions in a controlled experimental setting.

Main Methods:

  • Monkeys performed a computerized task integrating a PM cue within a learning-set (LS) task.
  • Monkeys indicated PM cue encoding and could self-initiate PM responses during a delay period.
  • Performance was assessed based on appropriate icon selection and self-initiated responses.

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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 19, 2026

Assessment of Social Cognition in Non-human Primates Using a Network of Computerized Automated Learning Device (ALDM) Test Systems
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

Automated Visual Cognitive Tasks for Recording Neural Activity Using a Floor Projection Maze
11:15

Automated Visual Cognitive Tasks for Recording Neural Activity Using a Floor Projection Maze

Published on: February 20, 2014

Investigating Object Representations in the Macaque Dorsal Visual Stream Using Single-unit Recordings
07:08

Investigating Object Representations in the Macaque Dorsal Visual Stream Using Single-unit Recordings

Published on: August 1, 2018

Main Results:

  • Monkeys correctly selected icons indicating PM cue encoding or LS task resumption.
  • Some monkeys self-initiated the PM response before any external prompt, demonstrating intention retrieval.
  • Results indicate successful encoding, storage, and appropriate future response execution.

Conclusions:

  • Monkeys exhibit prospective memory (PM) capabilities, including intention retrieval and execution.
  • This study suggests that prospective memory is not exclusively a human capacity.
  • The findings open new avenues for comparative studies on memory and executive functions across species.