Minds Underwater, Minds in the Forest: Comparative Cognitive Science of Primates and Cetaceans

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 23220006
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (S)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Cognitive science
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: TOMONAGA Masaki 京都大学, 霊長類研究所, 准教授 (70237139)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): MORISAKA Tadamichi 東海大学, 海洋学部, 准教授 (00422923) ; IMURA Tomoko 新潟国際情報大学, 情報文化学部, 准教授 (00552423) ; NAKAHARA Fumio 常磐大学, コミュニティ振興学部, 教授 (10326811) ; HAYSHI Misato 京都大学, 霊長類研究所, 助教 (50444493) ; TANAKA Masayuki 京都大学, 野生動物研究センター, 特任教授 (80280775) ; ADACHI Ikuma 京都大学, 霊長類研究所, 助教 (80543214)
• Project Period (FY): 2011-05-31 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 比較認知科学 / 身体的制約 / 系統発生的制約 / 環境適応 / 物理環境の認識 / 社会環境の認識 / 大型類人猿 / 鯨類

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To better understand uniqueness of human mind, various aspects of minds of great apes such as chimpanzees, and dolphins were investigated from the comparative-cognitive perspective, with special reference to "phylogenetic constraints" and "adaptation to evolutionary environments". We studied mainly perception and cognition of physical and social world in various species of primates and cetaceans. We have found the similarities and specificities of basic visual perception, auditory communication in cetaceans, bodily constraints of spatial perception, tool-use like behavior in cetaceans, understanding of conceptual metaphor, variations in prosocial behaviors in orangutans and dolphins, processes of developmental changes in mother-infant relationships in chimpanzees, orangutans, and Commerson's dolphins.

Free Research Field

比較認知科学、霊長類学