Cognitive development in object manipulation and mother-infant relationship among humans and great apes

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K00204
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Cognitive science
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: Hayashi Misato 京都大学, 霊長類研究所, 助教 (50444493)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 比較認知発達 / チンパンジー / 物の操作 / 道具使用 / 母子関係

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Direct comparison among Hominidae (humans and great apes) has been conducted by focusing on object manipulation as a comparative scale of cognitive development. Development of combinatory manipulations was assessed in captive settings and the result was discussed in relation to the tool-using behavior in the wild. The common onset of combinatory manipulation in great apes was around three years of age. However, humans and chimpanzees started show combinatory manipulation from an early age of about one year old. The result was consistent with the richness of tool-using behavior in these two species. They also showed similar performances in a task requiring hierarchical/efficient combinations and action grammars. Importance of the rearing by biological mother has been highlighted in order to promote cognitive development in the offspring. Knowledge on evolutionary origins of mother rearing may give us clues to solve the problem of mother-infant relationship in modern societies.

Free Research Field

比較認知科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

従来の研究から、野生大型類人猿の中でチンパンジーの道具使用行動のみが飛びぬけて豊富であることが指摘されてきた。本研究では、飼育下におけるヒト科全体を対象とした直接比較研究をおこなうことで、物の操作の発達過程自体にヒトとチンパンジーの特異性が見られることが明らかになった。また、認知発達の基盤である母子関係に着目することで、母親による育児が子どもの認知発達を促進することが示されるとともに、育児行動の進化的な基盤を知ることでヒト特有の育児の困難さを客観的に見ることが可能となり、現代社会における育児をめぐる問題の解決に向けた端緒となる可能性がある。