Monkeys display classic signatures of human symbolic arithmetic.
Anim Cogn
; 19(2): 405-15, 2016 Mar.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-26660686
ABSTRACT
Non-human primates compare quantities in a crude manner, by approximating their values. Less is known about the mental transformations that non-humans can perform over approximate quantities, such as arithmetic transformations. There is evidence that human symbolic arithmetic has a deep psychological connection with the primitive, approximate forms of quantification of non-human animals. Here, we ask whether the subtle performance signatures that humans exhibit during symbolic arithmetic also bear a connection to primitive arithmetic. Specifically, we examined the problem size effect, the tie effect, and the practice effect-effects which are commonly observed in children's math performance in school. We show that, like humans, monkeys exhibited the problem size and tie effects, indicating commonalities in arithmetic algorithms with humans. Unlike humans, however, monkeys did not exhibit a practice effect. Together, these findings provide new evidence for a cognitive relation between non-symbolic and symbolic arithmetic.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Cognición
/
Conceptos Matemáticos
/
Macaca mulatta
Límite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Anim Cogn
Asunto de la revista:
MEDICINA VETERINARIA
Año:
2016
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Estados Unidos