Evidence of Mental Rotation in Rhesus Macaques Open Access

Abstract

 

Humans consistently show mental rotation, the spatial ability to rotate images in mind, but other species, such as pigeons, have been reported to employ alternate visual processing strategies. These species differences raise questions about the evolution of mental rotation. Investigation with non-human primates holds promise to answer these questions, but the field is limited thus far. We aimed to fill this gap by testing whether rhesus macaques show evidence of mental rotation. Five rhesus macaques performed a match-to-sample, mirror image-discrimination task with rotated abstract, asymmetrical shapes. The monkeys showed the characteristic mental rotation effect – increasing reaction times and decreasing accuracy at greater angles of rotation. But, performance was at chance for large angles of rotation. We designed a second experiment, with simplified procedures, to facilitate mental rotation. In Experiment 2, monkeys continued to show increasing latency with angle while performing above chance at every angle of rotation. These findings lead us to conclude that rhesus macaques do show evidence of mental rotation. Our results provide some of first support from a non-human primate for the main two evolutionary hypotheses for mental rotation, and these findings should motivate broader investigation of mental rotation in a range of primate and non-primate species.

 

Table of Contents

 

Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………..……1

Experiment 1…………………………………………………………………………………..…10

            Introduction……………………………………………………………..………..………10

Method……………………………………………………………..…………….………12

            Subjects………………………………………………………………….……….12

            Apparatus…………………………………………………………………..…….12

            Stimuli…………………………………………………………………..…….….12

            Procedure………………………………………………………...……..…….….12

            Data Analysis………………………………………………….....……..…….….14

Results………………………………………………………….…..…………….………15

Discussion………………………………………………...………..…………….………18

Experiment 2……………………………………………...…...……..…………………..………21

            Introduction………………….……………………...………..…………………..………21

            Method………………….……………………...………..…………………...…..………22     

                         Subjects………………………………………………………...........…….22

                        Apparatus………………………………………………………………...…….22

                        Stimuli………………………………………………………………….…..…….23

                        Procedure…………………………………………………………………..…….23

                        Data Analysis………………………………………………...……..…….….24

            Results……………………………………………………………………………...…….24

            Discussion………………………………………………………………...………..…….25

General Discussion……………………………………………...…...……..…………....………26

References……………………………………………...…...……..………………….....…….…31

Figures……………………………………………...….......................……..…………....………34

 

About this Honors Thesis

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School	Emory College
Department	Psychology
Subfield / Discipline	Neuroscience and Animal Behavior
Degree	B.A.
Submission	Honors Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Psychology, Cognitive
Keyword	cognitive psychology Rhesus macaques working memory mental rotation
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Hampton, Robert , Emory University
Committee Members	O'Toole, Kate, Emory University Dilks, Daniel, Emory University

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