US EditionStudy Finds Apes Can Imagine and Play Pretend, a First for Animals
Kanzi, a language-trained bonobo, correctly identified pretend juice in 68% of trials, showing evidence of imagination and pretend play in a study published in Science.
- On Thursday, the journal Science published results showing Kanzi, a bonobo, could imagine and track invisible juice being poured in a controlled experiment, providing first evidence of animal pretense.
- Researchers adapted childhood development tests into a tea-party task to test pretense, addressing skepticism over anecdotal observations of chimpanzees and bonobos in a make-believe setup.
- In the tests, Kanzi chose the correct cup 34 of 50 trials and pointed to real juice 14 of 18 trials across three experiments with 18-trial sessions.
- Christopher Krupenye and co-authors say the results imply Kanzi could hold imagined and real scenarios simultaneously, but his lexigram language training may limit generalizing findings to other apes.
- In the broader debate, researchers point to social cognition as a possible human differentiator, with some scientists unconvinced Kanzi's choices prove make-believe while others say apes share cognitive imagination, feeding debate over human uniqueness and social collaboration.
92 Articles
92 Articles
Daily Journal
Scientists discover apes play pretend and are able to imagine
Scientists showed for the first time that apes can use their imagination and play pretend, an ability previously thought to be unique to humans.
An Ape Named Kanzi Shows That Imagination May Not Be Uniquely Human
For the first time, scientists have evidence that a nonhuman animal can engage in shared pretend play, the same kind of make-believe that unfolds at children's tea parties. The post An Ape Named Kanzi Shows That Imagination May Not Be Uniquely Human appeared first on StudyFinds.
The Ape Who Could Play Make-Believe
We know that other great apes can do a lot of human-like things. Since Jane Goodall’s pioneering studies of chimpanzees, ethologists have amassed decades of observations of both wild and captive great apes acting in many ways like people. We know that other great apes may use tools; make faces; and show empathy. But questions remain about the limits of their cognition. Nautilus Members enjoy an ad-free experience. Log in or Join now . In a stud…
The Independent
The Independent (US)Do apes have imagination? A tea party experiment offers clues
Scientists wondered whether Kanzi, the bonobo, had the capacity to play pretend
Drink juice that is not there at all: a Bonobo can be used for this game. His reactions make a research team suspect that monkeys also have an imagination and can sink into worlds that only exist in their imagination.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 49% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
