Skip to main content
  • Ruling Expected Soon in Fresno Elephant Rights Case
  • Happy the person (AEON)
  • NhRP Supports New Bill to End the Capture And Breeding of Whales for Public Display
  • LA Times: “For too long, we’ve salved our consciences with tepid animal welfare laws”
  • Legal Fight to Free Happy Continues in New York
  • “The most important animal-rights case of the 21st century”
  • NhRP Seminar Series
  • NhRP Interview Series
<
>
Blog

Back to nonhumanrights.org

  • Donate
  • Shop   ↗

Back to nonhumanrights.org

  • About NhRP
    • Meet the Team
    • Our Story
    • FAQ
    • Unlocking the Cage
    • Media Center
    • Contact Us
  • Our Work
    • Litigation
    • Legislation + Advocacy
    • Education
    • The Fight to #FreeTheFresnoElephants
    • Free Happy Now
  • Progress
  • Blog

Science

Thinking About Thinking

By Russell Tenofsky on April 13, 2013
Share this story:

Photo of a chimpanzee demonstrating metacognition or "thinking about thinking."Think about it, because apparently, these chimpanzees can. Chimpanzees at Georgia State University’s Language Research Center have displayed metacognition – the ability to “think about thinking.”

This is the first time a nonhuman species has displayed metacognition, a trait that scientists, philosophers, and religions have argued for generations to be one of the characteristics that make humans human.

“There has been an intense debate in the scientific literature in recent years over whether metacognition is unique to humans,” said Dr. Michael Beran of GSU, one of the scientists who conducted the research. And, as the team noted in their research, “The demonstration of metacognition in nonhuman primates has important implications regarding the emergence of self-reflective mind during humans’ cognitive evolution.”

“Our closest living relative has metacognitive abilities closely related to those of humans.”

As published in the journal Psychological Science, Michael J. Beran and Bonnie M. Perdue of the Georgia State Language Research Center (LRC) and J. David Smith of the University at Buffalo created experiments where they communicated with the chimpanzees using an already learned system of symbols.

The chimpanzees used the symbols to name food hidden by the scientists and received the food reward by correctly touching its corresponding symbol.

The researchers varied the experiment by alternating between hiding food the chimpanzees already knew the symbols for and ones they hadn’t learned yet. Researchers also varied how and where they hid the food. If the chimpanzees received incomplete or partial information about the food or where researchers hid the food, the intention was for them to seek out more information before they could find the food and receive the reward.

The research showed that the chimpanzees could immediately and correctly name items that they already knew were hidden and did indeed seek out additional information when they did not know enough about the food or its location.

“This pattern of behavior reflects a controlled information-seeking capacity that serves to support intelligent responding, and it strongly suggests that our closest living relative has metacognitive abilities closely related to those of humans,” the researchers reported.

Note: The Nonhuman Rights Project does not endorse experimentation on captive animals. However, we do quote the results of these experiments when they help make the case that the animals have a level of sentience, self-awareness, and, in some cases, a theory of mind that demonstrates that we should not keep them in captivity in the first place.

Russell Tenofsky, a longtime NhRP volunteer, has a BA in Philosophy from Macalester College and an MA in Philosophy from Colorado State University. He currently serves as the Vice Chairperson on the San Francisco Commission of Animal Control and Welfare.

Must Reads

  • Why Happy needs and deserves sanctuary in Campaigns, Cases
  • Amicus Support for the Fight to #FreeHappy in Cases
  • Where is Tommy the Chimp? in News
  • Why We Fight for Nonhuman Rights: Sk’aliCh’elh-tenaut’s Story Part 1 in Stories
  • “The key is ending injustice, period” in Interviews

Get Involved

Subscribe to our email list to receive updates and learn about events and volunteer opportunities in your area.

Nonhuman Rights Project

We are the only civil rights organization in the United States dedicated solely to securing rights for nonhuman animals.

5195 NW 112th Terrace
Coral Springs, FL 33076
Tax ID #: 04-3289466

Sign up to receive updates

© 2023 Nonhuman Rights Project, all rights reserved.

  • Privacy

Follow us to get updates