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Published byArabella Douglas Modified over 9 years ago
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Primate Number Abilities Can Rhesus Monkeys Spontaneously Subtract? Gregory M. Sulkowski & Mark D. Hauser
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Number Systems Object File Model –Instant recognition of small numbers
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Number Systems Accumulator Model –Larger Number = harder to keep track Scalar Variability
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Why Test Primate Number Abilities? Can counting exist without language? –Animal vs Human number learning fundamentally different Brute Memorization –1 = 1, 2 = > 1; 1 = 1, 2 = 2, 3 = > 2 … –The chimpanzee Ai VS Successor Function Successor Function –S(n) = n + 1 S(1)=1+1=2, S(S(1))=2+1=3,...
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Why Rhesus Monkeys? Other animals have been tested…with training –Pigeons, Parrots Raccoons, Ferrets, Rats Why not other animals? –Rhesus can accomplish without training –Population ready to work with
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Experiment 1 1 versus 1-1, Single Subtraction –Monkeys could be avoiding the side that was affected
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Experiment 2 1 versus 3-1, Single Subtraction –Only action on one of the two sides
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Experiment 3 2-0 versus 2-1, Double Action –Monkeys could be avoiding the side associated with object removal
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Experiment 4 2-1 versus 1-1, Double Subtraction –Nothing but food on platforms, no identity to track
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Experiment 5 2-1 food versus 2-1 non-food, Double Subtraction and Object Identity –Removed different objects from each side, could make monkey think only metal on one side while food on the other
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Experiment 6 2-1 food versus 2-1 non food, double subtraction and object identity –Thus far, number of objects has been minimal
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Experiment 7 3-1 food versus 2-1 non-food, Double Subtraction and Object Identity –Might have avoided one side by ignoring non-food item
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Experiment 8 3-1 food versus 2-1 food, Double subtraction and Object Identity –Only tested one aspect of subtraction
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Experiment 9 2-1 versus 1+1, Subtraction and Addition Without Changing Initial Object Number –Equality has yet to be tested
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Experiment 10 3-1 versus 1+1, Subtraction and Addition Leading to Equality –Never represented zero in the presence of addition and subtraction
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Experiment 11 0+1 versus 1-1, Subtraction and Addition and the Representation of Zero
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Conclusive Results Conclusive –Represent zero Something even human infants can not do –Identify object properties separately of computations Modifies what is known of object file model
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Inconclusive Results Inconclusive –Numbering model utilized Data explainable by both models –How zero was represented Still uncertain how zero is represented in either model –Likely combination of both models
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