Getting to the Bottom of How Apes Think
Understanding Others’ Thoughts
Great apes, including chimpanzees, bonobos, and orangutans, have an astonishing ability: they can understand what others are thinking, a skill once thought to be unique to humans. This concept, known as “theory of mind,” involves being aware of others’ desires, beliefs, and intentions.
Testing Theory of Mind in Apes
For decades, scientists have debated whether apes possess theory of mind. One classic test involves hiding an object from someone and then moving it. If the person can predict where the original hider will look for the object, it suggests they understand the hider’s false belief.
Adapting the Test for Apes
Adapting this test for apes proved challenging. Researchers replaced the hidden object with treats like grapes, but apes often failed the test. Psychologist Christopher Krupenye hypothesized that the apes’ eagerness for treats interfered with their ability to understand the false belief.
The King Kong Experiment
Krupenye devised a novel approach: he created short films featuring a scientist and a person in a King Kong costume. In one film, the scientist hides a stick inside one of two hay bales. The King Kong character then moves the stick to the other bale while the scientist is away.
Eye Tracking Reveals Understanding
Researchers used eye tracking to monitor the apes’ reactions. As the scientist returned to retrieve the stick, 67% of the apes looked at the bale where the King Kong character had originally hidden it, indicating they understood the scientist’s false belief.
Implications for Ape Cognition
This study provides strong evidence that apes can predict the behavior of deceived individuals. Such nuanced understanding is crucial for behaviors like lying, cheating, and storytelling, which are typically considered human traits.
Nuanced Understanding and Human Behavior
The ability to understand false beliefs is closely linked to human behaviors such as lying, cheating, making art, and telling stories. Krupenye argues that a theory of mind was essential to creating the King Kong films, highlighting the parallels between ape cognition and human behavior.
Further Research Directions
This research opens up new avenues for exploring ape cognition. Future studies can investigate how apes use theory of mind in social interactions, communication, and problem-solving. Understanding the cognitive capabilities of our closest primate relatives provides valuable insights into the evolution of human cognition.
Additional Insights
- Apes’ success in the false belief test suggests they have a basic understanding of others’ mental states.
- The King Kong experiment provided a novel way to assess theory of mind in apes, overcoming the limitations of previous methods.
- The study has implications for understanding the evolution of human cognition and the similarities and differences between ape and human minds.