Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 29, 2026

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

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

Published on: August 1, 2018

Similar stimulus features control visual classification in orangutans and rhesus monkeys

Rachel F L Diamond¹, Tara S Stoinski^2,3, Jennifer L Mickelberg²

¹Emory University and Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA.

Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior

|November 30, 2015

Summary

Primates like rhesus monkeys and orangutans classify images using both global and local visual features. This comparative study found similar image classification strategies across these primate species.

Area of Science:

Comparative cognition
Primate vision
Visual perception

Background:

Species differ in visual classification, with pigeons relying on local features and primates potentially on global features.
Previous studies lacked direct comparisons using identical stimuli and conditions, hindering understanding of species-specific versus condition-specific variations.
Investigating visual attribute control in image classification across primate species is crucial for understanding cognitive evolution.

Purpose of the Study:

To conduct an explicitly comparative study of image classification in rhesus monkeys and orangutans.
To determine which visual stimulus features (global vs. local) control classification in these primate species.
To identify similarities and differences in classification strategies between rhesus monkeys and orangutans under identical testing conditions.

Main Methods:

Rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) and orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus and Pongo abelii) were trained on color image classification tasks.
Generalization tests involved novel, black and white, line drawing, and scrambled versions of original stimuli.
Image modifications were used to isolate the influence of specific visual attributes on classification behavior.

Main Results:

Both rhesus monkeys and orangutans utilized multiple stimulus attributes, encompassing both global and local features, for image classification.
No significant differences were observed in the classification control strategies between the tested primate species.
The results indicate a shared mechanism for visual attribute control in image classification across these primate groups.

Conclusions:

Primate image classification is controlled by a combination of global and local visual features.
Rhesus monkeys and orangutans exhibit similar visual classification strategies when tested under identical conditions.
This study provides direct comparative evidence for shared visual processing mechanisms in primate image classification.

Keywords:

classification orangutan rhesus monkey vision

More Related Videos

Large-scale Reconstructions and Independent, Unbiased Clustering Based on Morphological Metrics to Classify Neurons in Selective Populations

Large-scale Reconstructions and Independent, Unbiased Clustering Based on Morphological Metrics to Classify Neurons in Selective Populations

Published on: February 15, 2017

Experience is Instrumental in Tuning a Link Between Language and Cognition: Evidence from 6- to 7- Month-Old Infants' Object Categorization

Experience is Instrumental in Tuning a Link Between Language and Cognition: Evidence from 6- to 7- Month-Old Infants' Object Categorization

Published on: April 19, 2017

Related Concept Videos

Force Classification

Force Classification

Forces play a crucial role in the study of physics and engineering. They are essential in describing the motion, behavior, and equilibrium of objects in the physical world. Forces can be classified based on their origin, type, and direction of action.
Contact and non-contact forces are two of the most widely used categories of forces. As the name suggests, contact forces require physical contact between two objects to act upon each other. Examples of contact forces include frictional,...

Classification of Systems-I

Classification of Systems-I

Linearity is a system property characterized by a direct input-output relationship, combining homogeneity and additivity.
Homogeneity dictates that if an input x(t) is multiplied by a constant c, the output y(t) is multiplied by the same constant. Mathematically, this is expressed as:

Classification of Systems-II

Classification of Systems-II

Continuous-time systems have continuous input and output signals, with time measured continuously. These systems are generally defined by differential or algebraic equations. For instance, in an RC circuit, the relationship between input and output voltage is expressed through a differential equation derived from Ohm's law and the capacitor relation,

Methods of Classification and Identification

Methods of Classification and Identification

Bacterial identification relies on a diverse array of techniques to classify and understand microorganisms, each tailored to uncover specific characteristics. Traditional morphological approaches, while still valuable, are limited for closely related or structurally simple organisms. Modern methods integrate biochemical, serological, genetic, and advanced molecular tools to achieve greater accuracy.Morphological and Biochemical TechniquesMorphological characteristics, such as cell shape and...

Aggregates Classification

Aggregates Classification

Aggregate classification is generally based on its size, petrographic characteristics, weight, and source. Size classification ranges from coarse to fine aggregates, defined by the size of the particles. Coarse aggregates are particles that do not pass through ASTM sieve No. 4, and aggregates that pass through the sieve are fine aggregates.
Petrographic classification groups aggregates based on common mineralogical characteristics. Some of the common mineral groups found in aggregates are...

Classification of Bones

Classification of Bones

The bones of the human skeletal system are of varied shapes, sizes, and functions. They can be classified based on their shape and function into four major classes: long bones, short bones, flat bones, and irregular bones. Some classifications include a fifth type, the sesamoid bones, as a separate class, whereas others categorize them under short bones.
Long and Short Bones
The appendicular skeleton, particularly the upper and lower limbs, is primarily made of long and short bones. The...

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Increases in fecal testosterone precede increases in fecal dehydroepiandrosterone in wild male mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei).

Journal of comparative physiology. B, Biochemical, systemic, and environmental physiology·2026

The conditioning-delay gradient, not impulsivity, accounts for apparent steep delay discounting in monkeys (Macaca mulatta).

Journal of experimental psychology. Animal learning and cognition·2026

The SNARC effect is not a unitary phenomenon: Individual variation in space-magnitude associations across domains.

Journal of comparative psychology (Washington, D.C. : 1983)·2026

Spatial representation of magnitude in rhesus macaques: Investigating SNARC effects in quantity and size dimensions.

Learning & behavior·2025

Prospective and concurrent metamemory of familiarity and working memory by rhesus monkeys.

Learning & memory (Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.)·2025

The impact of long-term social housing on biconditional association task performance and neuron ensembles in the anterior cingulate cortex and the hippocampal CA3 region of aged rats.

Aging·2025

See all related articles