Animals Minds: Minds Of Their Own: Animals Are Smarter Than You Think

[Silver Gaia]

National Geographic
Published: March 2008

Animals Minds: Minds of their Own
Animals are smarter than you think

By Virginia Morell
Photograph by Vincent J. Musi

In 1977 Irene Pepperberg, a recent graduate of Harvard University, did something very bold. At a time when animals still were considered automatons, she set out to find what was on another creature's mind by talking to it. She brought a one-year-old African gray parrot she named Alex into her lab to teach him to reproduce the sounds of the English language. "I thought if he learned to communicate, I could ask him questions about how he sees the world."

When Pepperberg began her dialogue with Alex, who died last September at the age of 31, many scientists believed animals were incapable of any thought. They were simply machines, robots programmed to react to stimuli but lacking the ability to think or feel. Any pet owner would disagree. We see the love in our dogs' eyes and know that, of course, Spot has thoughts and emotions. But such claims remain highly controversial. Gut instinct is not science, and it is all too easy to project human thoughts and feelings onto another creature. How, then, does a scientist prove that an animal is capable of thinking—that it is able to acquire information about the world and act on it?

"That's why I started my studies with Alex," Pepperberg said. They were seated—she at her desk, he on top of his cage—in her lab, a windowless room about the size of a boxcar, at Brandeis University. Newspapers lined the floor; baskets of bright toys were stacked on the shelves. They were clearly a team—and because of their work, the notion that animals can think is no longer so fanciful.

Certain skills are considered key signs of higher mental abilities: good memory, a grasp of grammar and symbols, self-awareness, understanding others' motives, imitating others, and being creative. Bit by bit, in ingenious experiments, researchers have documented these talents in other species, gradually chipping away at what we thought made human beings distinctive while offering a glimpse of where our own abilities came from. Scrub jays know that other jays are thieves and that stashed food can spoil; sheep can recognize faces; chimpanzees use a variety of tools to probe termite mounds and even use weapons to hunt small mammals; dolphins can imitate human postures; the archerfish, which stuns insects with a sudden blast of water, can learn how to aim its squirt simply by watching an experienced fish perform the task. And Alex the parrot turned out to be a surprisingly good talker.

More here: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/03/animal-minds/virginia-morell-text

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This is an awesome article. As someone who's had the pleasure of personal interaction with some of the animals specifically mentioned in this article (a Border Collie/German Shepherd whose vocabulary rivals that of the article's Betsy, a crow named "Hank" whose stay with me was short but memorable, and a scrub jay whose intelligence I can personally attest is much greater even than what is described here... and so on :) ), this article was simply confirmation of what I already knew, yet it still amazed and delighted me. For anyone who already understands that our animal brothers and sisters are not beneath us, but are equals with whom we share this beautiful, blue planet, this article will be a joy to read. For those who may yet be unsure about this, perhaps the studies reported here will help to convince you.

Enjoy! Be sure to check out the photo gallery and other features linked to the left of the article!

[elleng]

1. Thanks, Joolz!

Call my daughter Julie by that 'name,' too!

Almost afraid to read, because my living situation probably will not allow for 'domestic' animals; maybe I'll find some wild ones around to study(moving.)

[Silver Gaia]

5. You're welcome, elleng!

Sorry you can't have animal companions. But animals in the wild can be teachers, too. ;) :)

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. We are well trained humans

for the three parrots in the house. no doubt about it.

[Shallah Kali]

3. My cats have trained me pretty good

When my Harry does something he knows I will scold or squirt him for he usually will come right to me and flop at my feet displaying his pretty fuzzy tummy. He knows I normally can't resist petting his tummy and wants to either divert my attention or appease me.

http://picasaweb.google.com/shallahk/Cats/photo?authkey=ADMgDH_kZhA#5080259642042382690

[elleng]

4. After Toni did something 'bad,'

she'd give herself away by going to her beanbag 'chair' in the corner, instead of greeting me at the door. That was my clue, to start searching!

[Silver Gaia]

6. LOL I can imagine... three parrots, eh?

:D

Yes, with only three humans in this house, and six cats, three birds, and a dog, we are also quite well-trained humans. ;)

[Silver Gaia]

7. Here's another snippet from the article (fascinating stuff, IMO):

Pepperberg walked to the back of the room, where Alex sat on top of his cage preening his pearl gray feathers. He stopped at her approach and opened his beak.

"Want grape," Alex said.

"He hasn't had his breakfast yet," Pepperberg explained, "so he's a little put out."

Alex returned to preening, while an assistant prepared a bowl of grapes, green beans, apple and banana slices, and corn on the cob.

Under Pepperberg's patient tutelage, Alex learned how to use his vocal tract to imitate almost one hundred English words, including the sounds for all of these foods, although he calls an apple a "banerry."

"Apples taste a little bit like bananas to him, and they look a little bit like cherries, so Alex made up that word for them," Pepperberg said.

I loved that...

There's much more... and not just about Alex, the parrot. There's Betsy the Border Collie, crows and scrub jays, dolphins, apes, even fish.

[NMDemDist2]

8. my border collie has a huge vocabulary

he's so darned smart

now that our old dog is mostly deaf, she can't hear us call her for treats or dinner

Bubba knows he can't get a treat until she has one, so we'll tell him "Go get Sue Z. cuz it's treat time" and he'll go outside and find her. He has a special bark she can hear and he'll bark at her and lead her back.

She's very smart too (border/aussie mix) and since she's almost blind and mostly deaf she'll get lost out on the back property. She has a special bark when she's disoriented. When Bubba hears that bark, he hightails it out to where she is and 'leads' her back. She'll put her head at his hip and follow him back into the yard.

She sleeps hard too, so when it's bedtime we'll send Bubba to go get her and bring her to bed. He'll go wake her up and bring her into the bedroom.

Watching those two has been amazing.

here's my Bubba, if he had thumbs I'd get him an accounting job...

[Silver Gaia]

13. Love your Bubba! Tell him I said he's SO cool! :D

Love that expression on his sweet face. :) Thanks for sharing this with us.

My dog, Cody, is a Border Collie and German Shepherd mix. He has the black and tan coloring and markings of a Shepherd, but the silky coat and body shape/size of a Border Collie. He's also super-smart, and has a huge vocabulary. I remember the first time I realized exactly HOW smart he really is...

He was about a year or two old and my now-grown daughter was in middle school. I used to pick her up every day after school and he got to go along for the ride, which he looooved. When it was time, I'd always go to the front door and say "let's go get B___" and he'd begin to leap up in the air in excitement (I called him "boingy-boy" when he did this). Well, one day I was talking with my brother on the phone in the bedroom, and as I was telling him good-bye, I said matter-of-factly, "I'd better get off the phone. I've gotta go get B___ in a few minutes." This was said flatly, with none of the pointed inflection I used when I said these words directly to Cody. But he must've picked those words out--"go get B___"--and understood what they meant, because as soon as I said them, he turned into boingy-boy. LOL I already knew he was a smart dog, but at that moment, I knew he was a really smart boy.

He's always loved games, too. He used to make up his own games when he was a young fella. He's getting on in years now, but he still loves his games. We play a game with him every morning. He knows that he gets to play his game as soon as he hears the spoon tinkle in Mommy's coffee cup, and starts getting excited. We break a treat up into small pieces and hide them, then he gets to go find them all, like a treasure hunt. He's all waggy-tails and sniffy-snuffy--and VERY busy. :D We figure playing games helps keep him young. ;) And he really has NO idea how old he really is. (good thing)

[Why Syzygy]

18. lol .. that reminds me of

My son's dad's dogs. I lived in his house for awhile several years ago. He has a miniature daschund, Trudi, and a miniature schnauzer, Trixie. Trudy loves everyone and wiggles her body and snuggles up. Trixie snarls and snaps if I try to pet her. But when he went out of town, about 10 PM, Trixie brought one of her stuffed animals and jumped onto my bed. She could sleep with me, but when he came back, it was right back to snapping. She's funny. Both of them have a fit when my son comes to visit. They are all so unique.

[Silver Gaia]

21. Ah, and you reminded me of my Mom's Schnauzer, Smokey

He has a bark that will turn your ears inside-out--seriously painful when he's loud! So, he sometimes gets shushed when his barking gets out of hand. He's figured out, though, that he won't get reprimanded if he barks with a toy in his mouth (since it muffles the sound). This is something he figured out all on his own, too. No one taught it to him. It's hilareous! Mom hears people cracking up often when walking past her house, cuz there's Smokey out in the yard, running along the fence barking furiously at them while holding a fuzzy blue bear in his mouth. "Moomph! Moomph!" LOL

[NMDemDist2]

28. yes, they do like to stay busy

they are such good dogs

:loveya:

[Dover]

24. Awwwwww.....I think I'm in love.

What a precious boy! And he takes such good care of Sue Z. My favorite kind of dogs (Border Collies and Australian Shepherds). Smart, attentive, loyal and oh so sweet. Thanks for sharing the picture. :hi:

[NMDemDist2]

27. his real name is Einstein, we call him Stein for short but to me he's my big Bubba

he knows it too, if I say Bubba the tail starts thumping

he's totally a momma's boy too, the other two girls love my hubby and tolerate me, but Bub is my boy.

[Tumbulu]

9. "Animals in Translation" by Temple Grandin

Is a wonderful read if you have never read it.

Thanks for the post!

[Silver Gaia]

14. Sounds like an interesting read... will add it to my list. :)

Here's another book about animals that I enjoyed. This one is about animals and emotion rather than intelligence:

When Elephants Weep: The Emotional Lives of Animals by Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson and Susan McCarthy

This one will touch your heart... (but is well-documented, not fluffy).

[Tumbulu]

23. Thanks for reminding me of that book!

I have been wanting to read it for years now.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

10. Thanks for posting this!

My cat and I communicate telepathically and through words. She understands complex sentences, especially when they involve helping her get her own way!

[Silver Gaia]

15. Oh, you're most welcome, ayesha!

It was something YOU said that made me remember I wanted to post this, so thank YOU. :)

Ha! A cat motivated by getting her way? Who'd'a thunk it? :D

[Callie McAllie]

11. I saw a youtube video with a pomeranian who could talk

He was do this little barking-howling thing that sounded like "hello" when people came home. There were other words too.

I know our pom understands has a great auditory vocabulary (treat, walk, breakfast, dinner, ride, etc.) I think she can also spell some words (w-a-l-k), but sadly she does not talk. At least not in English. She is a loving little sweetheart though.

[Silver Gaia]

16. I'd love to see that video. :D

I swear Cody tries to talk, too. He's only started doing this in his later years, but he makes these mumbling growly sounds when he wants our attention--and usually to ask for something. It sounds exactly like he's trying to form actual words, and there's even a questioning tone.

[Fire Walk With Me]

12. "Wanna go tree," Alex said in a tiny voice.

Alex had lived his entire life in captivity, but he knew that beyond the lab's door, there was a hallway and a tall window framing a leafy elm tree. He liked to see the tree, so Pepperberg put her hand out for him to climb aboard. She walked him down the hall into the tree's green light.

"Good boy! Good birdie," Alex said, bobbing on her hand.

"Yes, you're a good boy. You're a good birdie." And she kissed his feathered head.

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Well, anyone who has ever been owned by a pet knows that Alex was calling the researcher a "good boy", not himself! :rofl:

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In the film, Akeakamai and Phoenix are asked to create a trick and do it together. The two dolphins swim away from the side of the pool, circle together underwater for about ten seconds, then leap out of the water, spinning clockwise on their long axis and squirting water from their mouths, every maneuver done at the same instant. "None of this was trained," Herman says, "and it looks to us absolutely mysterious. We don't know how they do it—or did it."

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This happens the same way that birds and other fish all turn at once. Communication and most especially awareness of each other in the subtle realms, the same way that a group of musicians suddenly find "chemistry" and effortlessly follow an unspoken progression. Or how you may know who is on the phone before you answer it.

This place is where our real awareness lies, and it is smothered in school where we are taught rationality, the head. We are literally taught to ignore our greater awareness.

Thanks for the article!!

[Silver Gaia]

17. "...Alex was calling the researcher a "good boy", not himself! "

LOL Yes, exactly! :D

I also loved what you quoted about the two dolphins. When I read that, it excited me so much I went into my daughter's room to read it aloud to her.

I so agree with what you've said here: "...it is smothered in school where we are taught rationality, the head. We are literally taught to ignore our greater awareness." We have all the magic drummed right out of us as children. By the time we reach adulthood, much has been lost. For most of us, it takes great effort, as adults, to re-open the pathways that we've been conditioned to close off. But it's so worth the effort...

We are also trained NOT to see holistically. VERY few disciplines teach us to look at WHOLES, rather than pieces and parts (anthropology being one of the few that tries to avoid that trap). The nature of the sea cannot be understood by examining one drop of water. Nothing exists in isolation. All that exists is involved in a complex dance with all else that exists. I wish more people, and especially those involved in education, could GET this.

Which reminds me of another couple of books: Fritjof Capra's The Web of Life: A New Scientific Understanding of Living Systems and The Non-Local Universe: The New Physics and Matters of the Mind by Robert Nadeau and Menas Kafatos ... diverse, yet connected, subject matter.

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Thanks for the replies! I'm happy to know there are others here who also appreciated this article. :) (I'd figured as much ;) )

[Digit]

19. Last words before he died...

When I read this, it brought tears to my eyes:

Even up through last week, Alex was working with Dr. Pepperberg on compound words and hard-to-pronounce words. As she put him into his cage for the night last Thursday, Alex looked at her and said: "You be good, see you tomorrow. I love you."

[Silver Gaia]

20. Oh, me, too. :( Thanks for posting those last words.

Alex was a truly beautiful soul.

[mother earth]

22. I thoroughly enjoyed this article. Thanks for bringing it here.

[Dover]

25. Wonderful article Joolz! Thanks for posting...n/t

[cliss]

26. Re: Animals can think.

Joolz: it's even more amazing than that.
I'm currently looking at a book called "Animals know when their owners are coming home"

The book explains that pets DO in fact, know when their owner is coming home. Researchers have set up video cameras at home. Then, they've asked the owner to get in his car at the office. The video cameras showed that at that moment, the dog would get up and go sit by the door. He'd sit there and look at the door.

They've even done tests where they asked the owner to get in the car, and then stop and go back into the office. The dog would not go to the door. It's absolutely uncanny, beyond belief.

Our pets understand our love, and return it.
~ the most wonderful creatures on earth ~

[Fire Walk With Me]

29. I've seen those clips. Outstanding demonstration of their awareness through the subtle realms.

:thumbsup:

It does not appear to be on youtube for some odd reason, but here is a verbal report by someone studying the same things:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=tLgyFQZxs40

[Silver Gaia]

30. Oh yes, isn't that one of Rupert Sheldrake's books?

Yes, I'm familiar with his work on morphic fields. Thanks for mentioning this important work here. I have one of Sheldrake's books, but not that one. I did hear him talk about his work with animals on the radio one night several years ago, though--on Coast to Coast, in an interview with Art, not Noory. Loved it! Very fascinating. His work ties right in with the idea of non-locality, IMO. I've been wanting to get this book, too. Thanks for reminding me. :) :adds another book to her "to-buy" list:

[LWolf]

31. All of my life,

I've been expected when I get home from work. In elementary school, I had a cat that would be waiting in the window for me to open the door. She spent the day curled up on my bed, waking up, stretching, and getting into her position for "sentry" duty about 5 minutes before I turned the corner.

My aussie is by the front gate when I get home, regardless of weather, or what she was doing ten minutes before. I don't get home at the same time every day; I've always wondered how she knows.

[wickfordbard]

32. My sister showed me the article a few weeks ago. Incredible!

Yes, we've always known that animals were intelligent, feeling beings. Just look at the myths from all cultures which tell us that the animals TAUGHT humans. Only our scientific, 'rational' western culture could treat animals with the cruelty and disrespect that they show. But what else is new about the patriarchal mindset. Evil.:evilfrown: :evilfrown: