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Primate Number Abilities

This study explores the number abilities of Rhesus monkeys, specifically their ability to spontaneously subtract. The findings challenge existing theories of primate number cognition and shed light on the fundamental differences between animal and human number learning. The study includes a series of experiments that test the monkeys' subtraction skills using different scenarios and object identities.

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Primate Number Abilities

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  1. Primate Number Abilities Can Rhesus Monkeys Spontaneously Subtract? Gregory M. Sulkowski & Mark D. Hauser

  2. Number Systems • Object File Model • Instant recognition of small numbers

  3. Number Systems • Accumulator Model • Larger Number = harder to keep track • Scalar Variability

  4. 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 • S(n) = n + 1 S(1)=1+1=2, S(S(1))=2+1=3, ...

  5. 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

  6. Experiment 1 • 1 versus 1-1, Single Subtraction • Monkeys could be avoiding the side that was affected

  7. Experiment 2 • 1 versus 3-1, Single Subtraction • Only action on one of the two sides

  8. Experiment 3 • 2-0 versus 2-1, Double Action • Monkeys could be avoiding the side associated with object removal

  9. Experiment 4 • 2-1 versus 1-1, Double Subtraction • Nothing but food on platforms, no identity to track

  10. 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

  11. Experiment 6 • 2-1 food versus 2-1 non food, double subtraction and object identity • Thus far, number of objects has been minimal

  12. 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

  13. Experiment 8 • 3-1 food versus 2-1 food, Double subtraction and Object Identity • Only tested one aspect of subtraction

  14. Experiment 9 • 2-1 versus 1+1, Subtraction and Addition Without Changing Initial Object Number • Equality has yet to be tested

  15. Experiment 10 • 3-1 versus 1+1, Subtraction and Addition Leading to Equality • Never represented zero in the presence of addition and subtraction

  16. Experiment 11 • 0+1 versus 1-1, Subtraction and Addition and the Representation of Zero

  17. 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

  18. 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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