St Andrews Research Repository

View Item 
  •   St Andrews Research Repository
  • University of St Andrews Research
  • University of St Andrews Research
  • University of St Andrews Research
  • View Item
  •   St Andrews Research Repository
  • University of St Andrews Research
  • University of St Andrews Research
  • University of St Andrews Research
  • View Item
  •   St Andrews Research Repository
  • University of St Andrews Research
  • University of St Andrews Research
  • University of St Andrews Research
  • View Item
  • Login
JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

Elephant cognition in primate perspective

View/Open
Byrne2009-CCBR-ElephantCognition.pdf (616.2Kb)
Date
2009
Author
Byrne, Richard William
Bates, Lucy
Moss, C J
Keywords
Loxodonta
Elephas
Cognitive maps
Social knowledge
Social memory
Empathy
Classification learning
Quantity discrimination
QL Zoology
Metadata
Show full item record
Abstract
On many of the staple measures of comparative psychology, elephants show no obvious differences from other mammals, such as primates: discrimination learning, memory, spontaneous tool use, etc. However, a range of more naturalistic measures have recently suggested that elephant cognition may be rather different. Wild elephants sub-categorize humans into groups, independently making this classification on the basis of scent or colour. In number discrimination, elephants show no effects of absolute magnitude or relative size disparity in making number judgements. In the social realm, elephants show empathy into the problems faced by others, and give hints of special abilities in cooperation, vocal imitation and perhaps teaching. Field data suggest that the elephant’s vaunted reputation for memory may have a factual basis, in two ways. Elephants’ ability to remember large-scale space over long periods suggests good cognitive mapping skills. Elephants’ skill in keeping track of the current locations of many family members implies that working memory may be unusually developed, consistent with the laboratory finding that their quantity judgements do not show the usual magnitude effects.
Citation
Byrne , R W , Bates , L & Moss , C J 2009 , ' Elephant cognition in primate perspective ' Comparative Cognition & Behavior Reviews , vol 4 , pp. 65-79 . DOI: 10.3819/ccbr.2009.40009
Publication
Comparative Cognition & Behavior Reviews
Status
Peer reviewed
DOI
http://dx.doi.org/10.3819/ccbr.2009.40009
ISSN
1911-4745
Type
Journal article
Rights
(c)2009 Richard W. Byrne Copyright in this article is held by the authors
Collections
  • University of St Andrews Research
  • Psychology & Neuroscience Research
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/1612
http://comparative-cognition-and-behavior-reviews.org/Vol4/ByrneABS.html

Items in the St Andrews Research Repository are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.

Advanced Search

Browse

All of RepositoryCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateNamesTitlesSubjectsClassificationTypeFunderThis CollectionBy Issue DateNamesTitlesSubjectsClassificationTypeFunder

My Account

Login

Open Access

To find out how you can benefit from open access to research, see our library web pages and Open Access blog. For open access help contact: openaccess@st-andrews.ac.uk.

How to submit research papers

The full text of research papers can be submitted to the repository via PURE, the University's research information system. For help see our guide: How to deposit in Pure.

Electronic thesis deposit

Help with deposit.

Repository help

For repository help contact: Digital-Repository@st-andrews.ac.uk.

Give Feedback

Cookie policy

This site may use cookies. Please see Terms and Conditions.

Usage statistics

COUNTER-compliant statistics on downloads from the repository are available from the IRUS-UK Service. Contact us for information.

© University of St Andrews Library

University of St Andrews is a charity registered in Scotland, No SC013532.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter