Visual Discrimination in an Orangutan (Pongo Pygmaeus): Measuring Visual Preference

Although previous studies have confirmed that trained orangutans visually discriminate between mammals and artificial objects, whether orangutans without operant conditioning can discriminate remains unknown. The visual discrimination ability in an orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) with no experience in op...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Perceptual and motor skills 2012-04, Vol.114 (2), p.429-432
Main Authors: Hanazuka, Yuki, Shimizu, Mika, Kurotori, Hidetoshi, Midorikawa, Akira
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal cognition
Animals
Behavior, Animal - physiology
Discrimination (Psychology) - physiology
Female
Monkeys & apes
Pongo - psychology
Sensory perception
Visual Perception - physiology
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Summary:Although previous studies have confirmed that trained orangutans visually discriminate between mammals and artificial objects, whether orangutans without operant conditioning can discriminate remains unknown. The visual discrimination ability in an orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) with no experience in operant learning was examined using measures of visual preference. Sixteen color photographs of inanimate objects and of mammals with four legs were randomly presented to an orangutan. The results showed that the mean looking time at photographs of mammals with four legs was longer than that for inanimate objects, suggesting that the orangutan discriminated mammals with four legs from inanimate objects. The results implied that orangutans who have not experienced operant conditioning may possess the ability to discriminate visually.
ISSN:0031-5125
1558-688X
DOI:10.2466/22.24.PMS.114.2.429-432