Abstract
Four orangutans and one gorilla matched images in a delayed matching-to-sample (DMTS) task based on the relationship between items depicted in those images, thus demonstrating understanding of both first- and second-order relations. Subjects matched items on the basis of identity, color, or shape (first-order relations, experiment 1) or same shape, same color between items (second-order relations, experiment 2). Four of the five subjects performed above chance on the second-order relations DMTS task within the first block of five sessions. High levels of performance on this task did not result from reliance on perceptual feature matching and thus indicate the capability for abstract relational concepts in two species of great ape.
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Acknowledgements
This research was supported by a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) postgraduate scholarship granted to the author. The cooperation and support of the staff at the Toronto Zoo was greatly appreciated. Special thanks to Dianne Devison, Bev Carter, Vanessa Phelan, Gerri Mintha, Charles Guthrie, Tim McCaskie, Connie Wiederman, Heidi Minicke, Michelle Smith, Karyn Tunwell, Bridget Burke-Johnson, Andrea Beatson, Rick Vos, David Partington, Des Macguire, John Armstrong, and Jackie Craig, without whose assistance this study would not have been possible. I am also grateful to Suzanne MacDonald for the opportunity to undertake this project, and for providing the equipment and her guidance. Thanks to Robert Sorge, Roger Thompson, and several anonymous reviewers for comments on earlier drafts. These experiments conform to the Canadian laws and regulations concerning the use of animals.
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Vonk, J. Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) and orangutan (Pongo abelii) understanding of first- and second-order relations. Anim Cogn 6, 77–86 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10071-003-0159-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10071-003-0159-x