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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 12, 2026

Assessment of Social Cognition in Non-human Primates Using a Network of Computerized Automated Learning Device (ALDM) Test Systems
08:42

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Published on: May 5, 2015

Macaque monkeys can learn token values from human models through vicarious reward.

Sara Bevacqua1, Erika Cerasti, Rossella Falcone

  • 1Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.

Plos One
|April 2, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Monkeys can learn symbolic token values by observing humans, even without direct interaction. This study shows primates can acquire knowledge vicariously through watching others, expanding our understanding of social learning in animals.

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Last Updated: May 12, 2026

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Ethology
  • Comparative Psychology
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Monkeys understand token meaning for rewards and learn from observing conspecifics.
  • Limited understanding exists regarding whether monkeys can learn passively from non-conspecifics, such as humans.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if monkeys can learn the symbolic value of tokens by observing human models.
  • To determine if vicarious learning from non-conspecifics extends to symbolic tasks.

Main Methods:

  • Two monkeys participated in a token exchange paradigm across three experiments.
  • Monkeys observed human models exchanging tokens for rewards (vicarious rewards).
  • Token sets with one valuable and neutral tokens were used; monkeys later exchanged tokens for food.

Main Results:

  • Monkeys learned token values by observing human models.
  • Monkeys preferentially exchanged the valuable token over neutral tokens, demonstrating learned value.
  • Learning occurred even when token probabilities varied during observation.

Conclusions:

  • Monkeys can acquire symbolic knowledge through vicarious reward observation of human actors.
  • This cross-species observational learning extends to complex, symbolic tasks like token exchange.
  • Findings support the capacity for passive social learning from different species.