Bottlenose Dolphins Can Generalize Rules And Develop Abstract
Concepts
- Louis M Herman, Adam A. Pack, and Amy A Wood
- (C) 1994 by the Society for Marine Mammology
Generalization of a rule is demonstrated if the
rule governs a class of problem, and the subject, after successful
experience with a limited number of problems, can apply the governing
rule to new problems in that class. We show that the bottlenose
dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) is capable of such generalization for
classes of problems requiring the matching of one of two alternative
stimuli to a ‘sample’ stimulus to which the animal has
previously been exposed, regardless of the sensory domain used:
vision, passive listening, or active echolocation. We also show
this generalization capability in a related class of problem requiring
a judgement of whether a single probe stimulus is the same as, or
different from, a stimulus or stimuli previously presented. Further,
one dolphin was show capable of developing a true abstract concept
of same/different through its ability to categorize pairs of simultaneously
presented objects as identical or not. The suggestion that such
a generalization ability of dolphins may be in question because
of so-called exclusion effects iis shown to be not tenable when
the whole body of available data iis considered.
Herman, L.M., Pack, A.A. & Wood, A. M. (1994).
Bottlenosed Dolphins Can Generalize Rules and Develop Abstract Concepts. Marine Mammal Science, 10, 70-80.
Back to Top
Dolphin
Programs | Whale
Programs | Education
Programs | Our Research
| Resource Guide
Copyright © 2002, The Dolphin Institute
|
