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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 23, 2026

A Real-world What-Where-When Memory Test

A Real-world What-Where-When Memory Test

Published on: May 16, 2017

Memory for own behaviour in pinnipeds.

Simeon Quirinus Smeele¹, Kirstin Anderson Hansen^2,3, Sara Torres Ortiz^2,4

¹Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230, Odense, Denmark. simeonqs@hotmail.com.

Animal Cognition

|June 27, 2019

Summary

Pinnipeds demonstrate awareness of their own actions, recalling specific behaviors on command. However, their short-term memory duration is limited, comparable to other marine mammals but less developed than dolphins.

Keywords:

Cognition Sea lion Seal Self-awareness Short-term memory

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Last Updated: Jan 23, 2026

A Real-world What-Where-When Memory Test

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Published on: May 16, 2017

Drosophila Courtship Conditioning As a Measure of Learning and Memory

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Published on: June 5, 2017

Assessment of Memory Function in Pilocarpine-induced Epileptic Mice

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Published on: June 4, 2020

Area of Science:

Marine biology
Animal cognition
Behavioral neuroscience

Background:

Pinnipeds exhibit diverse foraging and social behaviors, suggesting potential for complex cognitive abilities.
The relationship between ecological demands and cognitive evolution in pinnipeds remains an area of investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the self-awareness and short-term memory capabilities of pinnipeds.
To determine if complex pinniped lifestyles correlate with advanced cognitive functions.

Main Methods:

Three pinniped species (grey seals, harbour seals, South American sea lions) were trained to repeat specific behaviors on command.
A staircase paradigm assessed recall accuracy with increasing delays between behavior completion and the repeat command.
Performance was analyzed against chance levels to evaluate memory retention and self-awareness.

Main Results:

All tested pinniped species demonstrated the ability to recall their own behaviors significantly above chance.
Recall performance declined to chance levels after 12-18 seconds across all species, indicating similar short-term memory durations.
No significant differences in memory duration were found between the tested pinniped species.

Conclusions:

Pinnipeds possess a degree of self-awareness regarding their actions.
Pinniped short-term memory is less developed than that of bottlenose dolphins.
The complexity of pinniped social and foraging behaviors does not appear to directly drive short-term memory evolution, though it may influence behavioral recall.