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Gorillas' use of the escape response in object choice memory tests
Chikako Suda-King1, Amanda E Bania, Erin E Stromberg
1Think Tank at the Smithsonian's National Zoological Park, Washington, DC, USA. chimpkako@hotmail.com
Animal Cognition
|August 28, 2012
Summary
Great apes, specifically gorillas, demonstrate metacognition by adjusting their behavior based on task difficulty. This suggests gorillas possess self-awareness of their cognitive states, similar to humans.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Science
- Primatology
- Animal Behavior
Background:
- Metacognition, the ability to monitor and control cognitive states, is vital for learning.
- While animal metacognition research is growing, few studies explore this in great apes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate metacognitive abilities in gorillas.
- To determine if gorillas exhibit introspective abilities similar to humans.
Main Methods:
- Four gorillas participated in object choice memory tests with varying difficulty levels.
- An 'escape response' option offered a smaller, guaranteed reward, allowing assessment of confidence in memory.
Main Results:
- Three gorillas significantly increased escape responses in more difficult memory trials.
- One gorilla selectively avoided trials, suggesting memory-based performance prediction.
Conclusions:
- Gorillas demonstrate metacognitive control over their choices based on memory accuracy.
- Findings suggest gorillas possess self-awareness of their cognitive states and memory performance.
