Essay on Psych: Ethology and Tool Length

* Several definitions of "intelligence" Depends on the measurements used * Intelligence can be looked at in different ways IQ tests Social Skills Job success Learning ability Musical Ability * Scientists who study animal intelligence Comparative psychologists Ethnologists * Natural environment Less control * Semi-natural Environment More control * Laboratory * Foraging (finding food) Tool use Problem solving * Sociality (group living) Recognize individuals Keep track of other members * Tool use in the Animal Kingdom Hearing Gulls Use bread for fish bait Capuchin Monkeys Use stone to crack open seeds Chimpanzees Use stick for termite mounds * Tools and the New Caledonian Crow Uses tools to get food out of the tree branch Knew small tools wouldn’t work, so it used a sequence of tools Studied in field and laboratory Makes tools from leaves Multi-step process Repeated cuts and tears Tool making through experience Not innate (not something they were born with) Many possible tool designs depending on Building materials Whole depth It looks into the hole to see if there are bugs It leaves and makes a tool Tool length 5cm (2inches) It comes back and used the tool in the hole Shallow hole: tool works (gets food) Deep hole: tool doesn't work (doesn't get food) Crow makes longer tool, comes back and tries again * Two step heuristic (ex. Rule of thumb) Heuristic: rule that works most of the time 1. Try standard tool first (same length, works every time) 2. Makes longer tool f the first one doesn’t get the food Got

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