Animal Cognition最新文献

Being able to abstract relations of similarity is considered one of the hallmarks of human cognition. Importantly, previous research has shown that other animals—both vertebrates (e.g., primates) and invertebrates (e.g., bees)— are capable of spontaneously attending to relational similarity in spatial mapping tasks. These tasks require individuals to find a reward in an array of, for example, three objects, after observing a reward being hidden in a different array of three objects. Studies with primates have shown that performance in this type of task is influenced by the distribution of the objects in the arrays. Here I investigated whether wild bumblebees’ relational abilities are also affected by the spatial complexity of the arrays (i.e., three horizontally aligned stimuli). In Experiment 1, bees were presented with two arrays separately: in one condition, the arrays were placed next to each other (forming a line) and in the other, the arrays were placed in two different rows. In Experiment 2, the two arrays were also placed in two rows, but the rows were misaligned. Bees succeeded in both Experiments and in the three different distributions of the arrays. The results suggest that bees were comparing the two arrays and recognized the common relational features in both arrays. Studies like the ones presented here highlight the importance of studying social insects to understand the evolution of cognition.

The ability to prepare for mutually-exclusive outcomes is critical for future planning. Recently, the thought that this ability may be unique to humans has been questioned. Even if non-human animals cannot individually plan for mutually-exclusive outcomes, groups of individuals may be able to coordinate their behavior to do so collectively. Here, we tested 12 Asian elephants (Elephas maximus), both individually and in pairs, using a forked tube task—adapted from one used with children and non-human apes—where a food reward is dropped down a tube and exits from one of two openings. The consistent, simultaneous covering of both openings to obtain the reward is evidence of an understanding of mutually-exclusive outcomes. One elephant—Nammei—learned to manipulate her trunk in a scooping motion to autonomously cover both openings, and then performed this behavior relatively consistently to successfully obtain the food reward at a rate significantly greater than chance (61.5%). In addition, pairs of elephants obtained the food reward at a rate significantly greater than that at which individuals could do by chance (i.e., either elephant ate the food in 60.1% of pair trials). However, Nammei eventually reverted to covering only one opening, and pairs did not achieve complete coordination—in fact, both openings were covered in only 35.0% of pair trials. Therefore, our results fall short of providing compelling evidence for either individual or collective planning for mutually-exclusive outcomes in elephants. However, the interesting behaviors that we observed suggest that this is a promising area for future research.

Social groups vary in the benefits that they offer to individuals through characteristics such as group size and composition, and consequently individual animals often exhibit preferences for groups with properties indicating greater benefits for members. Animals choosing between social groups may have to balance different preferences and integrate information about multiple group features to make optimal decisions and select the group that offers the greatest net benefit. We investigated how preferences for familiar individuals and for larger groups interact in the decision-making of zebrafish (Danio rerio) given a choice between two conspecific shoals. Adult subjects were given a series of choice tests with a shoal of four familiar fish, and a shoal of between four to eight unfamiliar fish. Subjects were tested on their preferences to spend time in proximity to the two shoals, and to interact with them. Zebrafish preferred to interact with the familiar shoal when both shoals comprised four individuals, however they did not show a preference for either shoal when choosing between four familiar fish and either five or six unfamiliar fish. When choosing between four familiar fish and either seven or eight unfamiliar fish, zebrafish showed clear preferences for the larger unfamiliar shoals over the familiar shoals. Our findings establish that zebrafish evaluate both the size and familiarity status of conspecific shoals, and integrate these multiple sources of information into social decision-making.

Cognitive and behavioural flexibility can be crucial in determining the success of animals facing fast-changing, altered, or disturbed conditions. Innovative problem-solving is considered a key trait for dealing with human-induced environmental alterations, as it can allow individuals to find solutions to novel problems that threaten their survival or reproduction. However, the link between animal innovation and human-induced habitat alteration is usually examined in urbanised areas, thereby overlooking potential effects of human disturbance in natural areas, where less innovative animals are presumed to find refuge. Here, we exploit a gradient of human presence and disturbance, epitomised by differential protection regimes in a National Park, to investigate small mammals’ innovation propensity. Using standardized tests directly in the field, we compared problem-solving performance of free-living Apodemus mice in a battery of four single-level foraging extraction tasks and a sequential multi-level extraction task of increasing difficulty. We found that mice living in the non-protected small settlements within the National Park were faster problem solvers compared to mice living in protected areas, both in single-level and multi-level tasks. Moreover, mice living in the buffer zone were initially less likely to participate in the tests and less persistent in case of failure compared to conspecifics living in strictly protected areas, but these differences eroded over time. Overall, these results suggest that even relatively low levels of human disturbance are linked to differences in behavioural and cognitive performance. Among-individual variation in problem-solving might thus play a key role in individuals’ successful coping with the rapid and recent expansion of humans across environments.

Human languages use complex, structured signals whose meanings are compositional. Recent empirical research has claimed to demonstrate compositionality in bird and primate communication (Berthet et al. 2025; Engesser et al. 2016; Girard-Buttoz et al. 2025; Leroux et al. 2023; Suzuki et al. 2017). While the compositionality of human languages seems beyond doubt, it can be demonstrated powerfully and immediately because of several other important features of language. Clarifying the arguments for compositionality in human languages reveals open questions and alternative hypotheses about the evidence from other species, and directions for further research and possible limitations.

Vocal mimicry, the copying of sounds produced by another species or the environment, is commonly described in vocal learners, such as songbirds. Understanding the functions of vocal mimicry can help to uncover the evolutionary drivers of vocal learning. Different adaptive functions like interspecific and intraspecific communication have been suggested, as well as the possibility of vocal mimicry to be a mistake during vocal learning. In the present study, we review the occurrence of mimicry in the family of corvids and investigate the socio-ecological factors driving the evolution of vocal mimicry in this group of birds. We recorded evidence of vocal mimicry from primary (xeno-canto recordings) as well as secondary sources (published literature) and found evidence for vocal mimicry in 39 out of 128 corvid species (30%). Socio-ecological factors like breeding system, habitat and trophic niche did not have a significant effect. We used Bayesian modelling based on existing data from primary and secondary sources to estimate the occurrence of mimicry, suggesting that vocal mimicry may be more widespread among corvids than currently documented, with many species potentially being ‘hidden mimics’. Our study for the first time systematically reviews the occurrence of vocal mimicry across the family of corvids and investigates a range of socio-ecological factors driving the behaviour, hopefully inspiring future field work on those species.

The ability to be aware of your own knowledge state (metacognition) can be investigated by examining an individual’s information-seeking behaviour. Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) perform strategic searches for food and tools. However, although capuchin monkeys (Sapajus apella) seek information about food, whether they search for functional information is unknown. Further, if information seeking indicates awareness of what knowledge is missing, rather than an uncertainty response, search patterns should reflect the missing information. We presented 12 capuchin monkeys with two novel information seeking tasks; Experiments 1 and 2 investigated their food search, Experiment 3 investigated their search for functionality. In both tasks information could be sought from two locations; looking below a barrier provided information about food, looking above a barrier provided information about food in Experiments 1 and 2 or cup functionality (open or sealed) in Experiment 3. Monkeys were trained to select the target cup with all information visible. Then we occluded the cups and presented the monkeys with different configurations of missing information requiring looks above, below, or both to locate the target cup. When searching for both food and functional information the monkeys’ searching was selective; it was more likely under occluded conditions. However, search location was not significantly affected by different configurations of missing information, suggesting they were not tailoring their information seeking. This supports previous findings that capuchins perform information-seeking to fill knowledge gaps. However, we found no evidence that searching was sensitive to the information was required. We conclude that capuchin monkeys show selective but not strategic information seeking.

Caracaras (subfamily Polyborinae) are a behaviorally distinctive and underexplored lineage of falcons that offer valuable opportunities to investigate the evolution of avian cognition in ecologically valid settings. Belonging to the sister clade to parrots and corvids—groups renowned for their cognitive abilities—caracaras express key traits linked to cognitive evolution, including large brains, high pallial neuron counts, complex social structures, ecological flexibility, and generalist foraging strategies. This review synthesizes existing behavioral, ecological, and neurological evidence suggesting that caracaras are well-suited for testing hypotheses in both social and physical cognition. Caracaras’ accessibility and behavioral responsiveness in the wild make them exceptionally well-suited for field-based studies, with the potential to address a critical gap in ecologically relevant comparative cognition. We highlight specific opportunities for research and emphasize that caracaras are a promising model for investigating how cognition evolves in response to varied socio-ecological pressures. We conclude that expanding cognitive research to include caracaras will broaden taxonomic representation and may offer broader insights into patterns of cognitive evolution.

Cognition, how individuals perceive, store, process and respond to information, influences decision-making. However, biases in cognitive processes can distort behavioural outcomes. Judgement bias occurs when individuals infer information to be more positive, or negative than it is. For captive animals, judgement bias is typically measured by testing behavioural responses to ambiguous cues that are intermediate to cues with learned valence (positive and negative). However, these tests have rarely been used in the wild. We therefore examined if a behavioural test of judgement bias commonly used in captive animals could be adapted to test a wild bird, the toutouwai (North Island robin, Petroica longipes). Toutouwai were faster to approach ambiguous cues that were more similar to a learned positive cue, compared to a learned negative cue. This positive bias mirrors behavioural response patterns observed across a range of species in captivity, including other birds. Responses toward ambiguous cues were repeatable over a short timespan, indicating there was consistent individual variation among our test birds in their degree of bias when judging ambiguous cues. Males tended to approach cues more quickly than females. Our results demonstrate that judgement bias can be tested for in situ in wild birds. However, as is typical of many island species, toutouwai are bold and fearless, which facilitated their participation in our experiment. Therefore, to enable research examining the ecological correlates of judgement biases in nature, we must develop tests of cognitive biases that can be used with a wider range of species in the wild.

Social interactions are crucial for individual health and ultimately fitness, making the choice of social partners evolutionarily relevant. Previous research has shown that individuals who succeed in foraging tasks often receive increased affiliation from group members. Similarly, in a social learning context, individuals who possess valuable information become more attractive social partners. Thus, an individual’s role in a foraging context, specifically, whether it is a successful producer, can influence its social relationships. To explore this effect, we examined the interplay between social learning, producing and scrounging behavior, and social relationships in four groups of wild red-fronted lemurs (Eulemur rufifrons; N = 29). We conducted an open diffusion experiment with food boxes that required animals to learn one of two techniques to open them. 16 individuals learned to open them. Initial success was better predicted by use of individual than social information, i.e., manipulating the food boxes vs. time spent watching successful individuals or scrounging. Older males were less successful than females. Scrounging occurred in about 26% of events. The technique used, age and sex of the producer did not predict the number of scroungers. Less successful individuals and males scrounged more often. Successful individuals received more affiliative behavior during the experimental period than in the pre-experimental period, which returned to baseline levels during the post-experimental period. Thus, red-fronted lemurs recognize and reward competent foraging partners socially during periods where they can benefit from them immediately. Together, these results highlight the importance of foraging competence for social integration and partner choice.