Page 54 - Zoo Animal Learning and Training

26 2 The Cognitive Abilities of Wild Animals

VetBooks.ir obtain the reward. When chimpanzees were (see Figure 2.4). A behavioural trait is con-
sidered to vary culturally if it is acquired
presented with the opaque box, they repro-
duced both the relevant and irrelevant
and transmitted repeatedly within or
actions, thus imitating the overall structure through social learning from conspecifics
of the task. When the box was presented in between generations. Although we discussed
the clear condition they instead ignored the tool use previously, there is also scientific
irrelevant actions in favour of a more effi- evidence that tool use is socially learned in
cient, emulative technique. These results of the wild. This should come as no surprise
Horner and Whiten (2005) suggest that emu- because, as previously mentioned in the defi-
lation is a preferred strategy of chimpanzees nition set forth by St Amant and Horton
when a demonstrator’s necessary actions are (2008), tool use can also be used to mediate
observable, whereas this was not the case information between the tool user and the
when the demonstrator’s actions were not surrounding environment, including other
observable (i.e. with the opaque puzzle box). animals in the environment (St Amant and
Interestingly, children employed imitation to Horton 2008). Social learning of tool use in
solve the task in both conditions, even orangutans was demonstrated experimen-
when it was not most efficient. The authors tally by Call and Tomasello (1994). Of 16
suggested that the difference in strategies orangutans, 8 individuals observed a human
between children and chimpanzees might be demonstrator use a rake‐like tool to extract
due to a greater susceptibility of children to an unattainable, high‐value food. Whereas
cultural conventions, that is, where perform- the remaining eight individuals observed
ing the actions of the demonstrator tends to the demonstrator use the tool in a different,
be rewarded. non‐functional way. Interestingly, there were
In wild populations, it can be difficult to no behavioural differences observed between
identify the transmission of a behaviour the two groups of orangutans studied;
based on social or observational learning; instead, many individuals appeared to rely
this can also be the case in captive settings on idiosyncratic trial‐and‐error rather than

Figure 2.4 While the walruses here look like they’re imitating their keeper, it is difficult to know how this
behaviour originated without observing the animals more fully. Source: Katharina Herrmann.