Animal Communication

Animal Communication LI 2013 Nathalie F. Martin

Table of Content • Communication • Animal communication • Can primates talk? • Studies • Sceptics • More studies • Conclusion • References: • Introduction: The Nature of Communication (chap. 1; Rowe & Levine) • « La communication et le langage » • « Peut-on faire parler les singes? »

Communication • Communication is a behaviour, or the ______________________, that affects the ________________________. • When a living organism (or machine) communicates it sends messages about itself or its environment. • The message is placed into a __________. • Humans have a highly elaborate code called _______.

Animals and Human Languages • ____ living beings can communicates certain types of information. • But can we say that animals have _______ ___________? • We must be careful to distinguish _______________, which is broad, from language, which is a certain type of communication.

Animal Communication • Different means of communication used by animals:

Perception and animal communication • Animal communication is ___________ and ______________ . • For example, if an animal lets out a cry in the presence of a predator, we automatically suppose that it is a reaction and not a deliberate desire to warn the other members of it’s species. • Communication: results of a _______ . • Produced only in _______ to a given situation (or _______ ). • In other words, an animal would never seek to communicate if it wasn’t enticed by something in it’s environment (they are mostly _______ _______ ).

Perception and animal communication (2) • Animal communication is understood as _______________ . • If an animal, like a monkey for example, emits a certain cry, it is because it has been genetically programmed to do so. • Proof: Many animals, like eels, have adapted to be able to communicate.

An example: Bees • Their communication system: • The _______ is indicated by the type of « dance »: • In circles, with movement of tale (waggle dance), and figure eight; • _______ is indicated by the orientation of the dance in light of the sun; • The _______ of the given source of food is indicated by the speed of the dance. • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NtegAOQpSs

Dance of the Bees

Of Bees and Men • A mix of _____________ and _______ . • _______ since the dances are not directly associated to the content they represent. • _______(/ɪndɪʃəl/) since they indicate the quality of the food by accelerating the dance. • Limited: • There is only one subject/topic addressed by the message; • The information within the message is limited. • « Code » is mainly genetic (and non cultural). • Proof: genetic (crossbreeding) • Proof: bees born/raised outside the hive

Communication and/or language • But can we say that what animals possess is in fact what we refer to as ____________ ?

Can primates talk? The case of Koko And manyotheranimals

Can humans make primates talk? • What do you think? Can we make apes _______ ? • The first experiments with primates seem to have shown us that primates can in fact adopt a form of human language (whether it be sign language of a similar system). * http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pmuu8UEi2ko

Can humans make primates talk? (2) 1- 1966: Allen & Beatrice Gardner and Washoe • They taught her American sign language (ASL) • 4 years later, she uses 130 signs. • They also affirm that she has spontaneously combined different signs that they have never taught her • e.g. « bird » + « water » = duck

Can humans make primates talk? (3) 2- David Premack and Sarah the chimpanzee. • He decided to teach her a new language. • This language is made up of symbols attached to magnets placed on a board. • Sarah learns to manipulate symbols that are ____ “_______ ” (non representative). • After many years, she is able a manipulate many signs to answer questions.

Can humans make primates talk? (2) 3- Penney Patterson – Koko (gorilla): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U64k_fA2Rcc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NDvs9bMsTE&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NDvs9bMsTE (5 mins in) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDGQySZ1gbs&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VJgsiADba8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7t9it2I2lg0&feature=related (7 mins in) Michael (gorilla): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBNwLf3CyiU

Sceptics • The success of there two studies opened the door for many researches, including Francine Patterson and Koko. • But these studies are hindered by scepticism ... • H. Terrace says that: • these studies do not take _______ into account these chimpanzees have been ____________ . • the true ability for language is lacking. • Other researcher says that this study can be likened to the “_______ _______ ” controversy.

The « Clever Hans » Controversy • German school teacher, von Osten, in 1904; • Claims that his horse can think; • and communicate through clicking his heals or by nodding his head. • Oskar Pfungst; • Explains this phenomenon: « Clever Hans » is simply a good observer.

The « Clever Hans » Controversy (2) The horse: • Has a superior sensory perception; • Interprets the clues given by his master (involuntary movement of the head); • Did not have the right answer when his master didn’t know the answer or when the horse was blindfolded; • Therefore, the horse was simply _______ ; • in other words, it could read the clues given by his master.

Repercussions on the study of primates • Many think that the positive results (in the study of apes) are the results of ____________ (subtle prompting). • The humans want to animals to do well; • This is communicated to the animals through involuntary movements; • The animals perceive these messages; • The animals give the desired response. • Therefore: these animals are only __________ .

And the studies continue ... • In 1977, D. Rumbaugh teaches Lana an artificial language called ___________ . Advantages: there is therefore a certain distance between the scientist and the chimpanzee, since they “speak” via a computer and keyboard. • This eliminates the “clever Hans” phenomenon! Get this: the monkeys Sherman and Austin, that know Yerkish, teach one another the symbols to obtain food.

And the studies continue ... (2) In 1980, the __________ chimps Kanzi et Mulika are exposed to speech, human gestures and Yerkish The goal is to imitate the manner in which human acquire language. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRM7vTrIIis http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Dhc2zePJFE

And the studies continue ... (3) Results: __________ learns 90 words in Yerkish with sentence manipulations (2800 combinations in all, 90% of which were not taught by the instructor). Like a child, Kanzi shows natural linguistics abilities. His unexpected reactions and requests prove that he understands the meaning (and that it is not only a matter of training). Example: “Wash the hot dogs”

So … do primates really have access to human language? A few conclusions

Do apes really have access to human language? “No, but we have learned that”… No, but we have learned that primates : • have access to a ____________ , whether it be innate or learned through training; • Are able to name objects, not just ask for them; • Are sensitive to word order (syntax); • Can create new sentence by changing word order; • Can use signs to communicate false information; • Who learn “language” = profoundly modified behaviour and cognitive abilities.

Why don’t primates who live in the wild “talk”? • Primates are highly intelligent beings, who have developed complex social structures, and can manipulate tools – so why can’t they “talk” in a natural setting? • Scientists think that primates have a specific intelligence, which short-circuits their access to a more evolved language. • They are therefore unable to come to a stable consensus about the meaning of different signs and symbols that could serve are “words”.

Next class: Language, Languages and Speech

Animal Communication