title: Imitative learning of artificial fruit processing in children (Homo sapiens) and chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes).
abstract: Observational learning in chimpanzees and young children was investigated using an artificial fruit designed as an analog of natural foraging problems faced by primates. Each of 3 principal components could be removed in 2 alternative ways, demonstration of only one of which was watched by each subject. This permitted subsequent imitation by subjects to be distinguished from stimulus enhancement. Children aged 2-4 years evidenced imitation for 2 components, but also achieved demonstrated outcomes through their own techniques. Chimpanzees relied even more on their own techniques, but they did imitate elements of 1 component of the task. To our knowledge, this is the first experimental evidence of chimpanzee imitation in a functional task designed to simulate foraging behavior hypothesized to be transmitted culturally in the wild.
authors.affiliation: Scottish Primate Research Group, University of St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland. aw2@st-andrews.ac.uk
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Whiten
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Custance
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Gomez
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Teixidor
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Bard
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004193:Discrimination Learning; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000523:psychology*; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D007100:Imitative Behavior; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D002679:Pan troglodytes / Q000523:psychology*; D012931:Social Environment