Indexical and referential pointing in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes).

David A. Leavens · William Donald Hopkins · Kim A. Bard

239 citations0/0 files storedJournal of comparative psychology

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Primate Behavior and Ecology Child and Animal Learning Development Language and cultural evolution

Abstract

The spontaneous index finger and other referential pointing in 3 adult, laboratory chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) who have not received language training is reported. Of 256 total observed points, 254 were emitted in the presence of a human to objects in the environment; therefore, the points were communicative. Indicators of intentional communication used by the subjects included attention-getting behaviors, gaze alternation, and persistence until reward. Thus, pointing by these chimpanzees was intentionally communicative. These data imply that perspective-taking and referential communication are generalized hominoid traits, given appropriate eliciting contexts. Index finger pointing was more frequent with the subjects' dominant hands. This study refutes claims that indexical or referential pointing is species-unique to humans or dependent on linguistic competence or explicit training.

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References

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2004Tactical use of unimodal and bimodal communication by chimpanzees, Pan troglodytes 2005Understanding the Point of Chimpanzee Pointing 2004Body orientation and face orientation: two factors controlling apes? begging behavior from humans 1999The whole-hand point: The structure and function of pointing from a comparative perspective.2001Differential use of vocal and gestural communication by chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) in response to the attentional status of a human (Homo sapiens).

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