Can Young Chimpanzees (Pan Troglodytes) Imitate Arbitrary Actions? Hayes & Hayes (1952) Revisited

Deborah M. Custance · Andrew Whiten · Kim A. Bard

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Primate Behavior and Ecology Child and Animal Learning Development Action Observation and Synchronization

Abstract

Abstract Contrary to recent scepticism, systematic use of an experimental approach suggested by HAYES & HAYES (1952) shows that chimpanzees can imitate novel actions. Two chimpanzees imitated 13 and 17 novel arbitrary gestures, respectively. They were first taught to reproduce 15 gestures on the command, "Do this!", and then presented with 48 novel items. Using a rigourous coding system, two independent observers correctly identified a significant number of the chimpanzees' imitations (p < 0.0001). We conclude that after a period of tuition chimpanzees can go on to imitate arbitrary actions, providing evidence of a basic cognitive capacity for perspective-taking and cross-modal matching.

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2013Play, Dreams And Imitation In Childhood 1990How Monkeys See the World 1948The Mentality of Apes 1898Animal Intelligence: An Experimental Study of the Associative Processes in Animals 1993Chimpanzee material culture: implications for human evolution 1965Newly-acquired pre-cultural behavior of the natural troop of Japanese monkeys on Koshima islet 1972Nature and uses of immaturity.1992On the Nature and Evolution of Imitation in the Animal Kingdom: Reappraisal of a Century of Research

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