What Young Chimpanzees Know about Seeing

Previous experimental research has suggested that chimpanzees may understand some of the epitemological aspects of visual perception, such as how the perceptual act of seeing can have internal mental consequences for an individual's state of knowledge. Other research suggests that chimpanzees and other nonhuman primates may understand visual perception at a simpler level; that is, they may at least understand seeing as a mental event that subjectively anchors organisms to the external world. However, these results are ambiguous and are open to several interpretations. In this Monograph, we report the results of 15 studies that were conducted with chimpanzees and preschool children to explore their knowledge about visual perception.

Abstract v

I Reconstructing the Evolution of Psychological Development 1

II Understanding Visual Perception 17

III Understanding who can see you: Preliminary Investigations 25

IV Understanding who can see you: Further Investigations 67

V Assessing Validity with Young Children 106

VI Conclusions 120

Appendix 141

References 143

Acknowledgements 152

Commentary

On Not Understanding Minds 153
R. Peter Hobson

Chimpanzee Social Cognition 161
Michael Tomasello

Reply

Growing up Ape 174
Daniel J. Povinelli

Contributors 190

Statement of Editorial Policy 191

Daniel J. Povinelli is Professor of Biology at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. After studying as an undergraduate at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst where he received his B.S. in Anthropology with a minor in Zoology - 1986 -, he studied Physical Anthropology and earned his doctorate from Yale University - 1991. Previous experimental research has suggested that chimpanzees may understand some of the epitemological aspects of visual perception, such as how the perceptual act of seeing can have internal mental consequences for an individual's state of knowledge. Other research suggests that chimpanzees and other nonhuman primates may understand visual perception at a simpler level; that is, they may at least understand seeing as a mental event that subjectively anchors organisms to the external world. However, these results are ambiguous and are open to several interpretations. In this Monograph, we report the results of 15 studies that were conducted with chimpanzees and preschool children to explore their knowledge about visual perception.