Bonobos realize when a human does not know something and try to help him

The objective is to achieve a treat and for this the bonobos can realize when a human does not know where they are and try to help him to discover it. Intiring the ignorance of another is a capacity that was believed human, but a new study presents evidence against.

A team of the Johns Hopkins University (USA) publishes in pnas an investigation into the behavior of a group of apes Bonobos, in which they conclude that they realize when humans do not know information and communicate accordingly.

Nyota, 25 years old; Kanzi, 43; and teco, 13, who live in Air Initiative, a non -profit organization dedicated to research and education, There are three male bonobos who participated in the study.

The objective was to achieve a reward, that the apes could only receive if it was given a human, who had sometimes seen under what cup he had hidden and others did not.

To get the treats, the apes enthusiastically indicated the hiding place when the person had not seen where they had put them Bonobos communicate unknown information on behalf of teamwork, According to the authors.

The study provides the clearest proof to the date that apes can intuit the ignorance of another, a capacity that was believed exclusively human, is at the base of our most sophisticated social behaviors and “It is essential for the way we cooperate, communicate and work together strategically”Said Chris Krupenye, one of the authors, says.

The scientist indicated that this so -called mind theory supports many of the abilities that make humans unique, such as teaching and language, so “Many believe it is absent in animals”.

In this work, they are demonstrated, ”he said, “The rich mental foundations that humans and other apes share, and suggests that these capacities evolved millions of years ago in our common ancestors”.

During the experiment, one of the bonobos sat with one of the authors of the Luke Townrow studio, facing a table.

The ape could always see how a second person placed a candy, a grape or a cereal ring under one of three cups, the researcher, however, could see where he sometimes put himself and sometimes not.

The researcher asked: “Where is the grape?” And I waited ten seconds. In cases where Townrow had seen hiding the reward, the animal patiently waited to receive its prize.

But when he had not seen where the candy had hidden, the ape quickly pointed to the right cup, sometimes quite demonstrative.

“His fingers pointed out through the mesh; It was clear what they were trying to communicate “explained Krupenye, cited by the University.

Bonobo Kanzi, “who was very motivated by food, repeatedly pointed out in certain phases of the experiment: he gave several taps to get our attention and was quite insistent.”

The work is the first to reproduce in a controlled environment similar findings of nature that suggest that chimpanzees vocalize to warn their grupo companions ignorant of potential threats, such as a snake.

The results also suggest, ”Krupenye added,” apes can maintain “Simultaneously two contradictory world visions in your mind. They know exactly where the food is and, at the same time, they know that the vision of their partner in the same situation lacks that information ”.

Next, the team will work to explore the motivations of the apes more thoroughly and how they think about the minds of other individuals.

“What we have shown here is that the apes will communicate with a partner to change their behavior,” Townrow said, but a key question “open for future research is whether the apes also aim to change the mental state of their partner or her beliefs ”