Mechanisms underlying string-pulling behaviour in green-winged macaws
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Abstract
The string-pulling test is a classic test of physical cognition which is thought to examine an animal’s understanding of means-end comprehension, but may also result from trial and error learning. Here, we presented Green-winged macaws (Ara chloroptera) with a standard pull-up, and an alternative, pull-down, string pulling test to better understand the processes involved. Birds were divided into two groups: the experimental group were presented with the classic pull-up test and, upon completion, with the pull-down test, while the control group were only presented with the pull-down test. Six experimental birds solved the pull-up test, although none successfully completed the pull-down test; however, birds from the experimental group made significantly more pull-down actions than those from the control group. Together with previous findings on string-pulling behaviour in green-winged macaws, the results from the present study suggest that string-pulling behaviour in this species does not involve means-end understanding.
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Mechanisms underlying string-pulling behaviour in green-winged macaws
In: BehaviourSearch for other papers by Jana Gaycken in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Drew J. Picken in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Thomas W. Pike in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Oliver H.P. Burman in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Anna Wilkinson in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Abstract
The string-pulling test is a classic test of physical cognition which is thought to examine an animal’s understanding of means-end comprehension, but may also result from trial and error learning. Here, we presented Green-winged macaws (Ara chloroptera) with a standard pull-up, and an alternative, pull-down, string pulling test to better understand the processes involved. Birds were divided into two groups: the experimental group were presented with the classic pull-up test and, upon completion, with the pull-down test, while the control group were only presented with the pull-down test. Six experimental birds solved the pull-up test, although none successfully completed the pull-down test; however, birds from the experimental group made significantly more pull-down actions than those from the control group. Together with previous findings on string-pulling behaviour in green-winged macaws, the results from the present study suggest that string-pulling behaviour in this species does not involve means-end understanding.
| All Time | Past Year | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 559 | 134 | 8 |
| Full Text Views | 71 | 11 | 5 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 78 | 16 | 8 |