Sinha, Anindya
(2003)
A beautiful mind: Attribution and intentionality in wild bonnet macaques.
Current Science, 85 (7).
pp. 1021-1030.
| Abstract: |
Empirical and observational studies of animal cogni-
tion will truly benefit if different behavioural manifes-
tations of higher cognitive processes can be defined
functionally. This is vitally important because, when
studying animals, cognition has to necessarily manifest
in behaviour for it to be tractable, and the performance
of such behaviour, in turn, needs to be unambiguously
ascribed to an effect of particular cognitive processes.
One theoretical framework to investigate cognition in
animals in terms of mentalistic notions is that of the
intentional stance, which assumes that each individual
is an intentional system capable of mental states like
beliefs, desires and emotions. To attribute such mental
states to both oneself and to others is to have what has
been termed a theory of mind. Social primates appear
to be knowledgeable about one another's behaviour to
different extents. But do they know as much about one
another's beliefs and intentions? Are they adept at
recognizing the similarities and differences between
their own and others' states of mind? Attribution of
mental states to other individuals could manifest itself
in diverse situations as, for example, when individual
animals closely observe the actions of others, when
they interact competitively, or when they deceive each
other in the social sphere. Such behavioural constructs
need to be analysed carefully in order to ascertain
whether true higher-order intentionality can indeed
be invoked as underlying mechanisms governing these
acts. This article examines the possible cognitive bases
of social knowledge-based decision-making and tactical
deception, processes that appear to be integral to the
development and maintenance of social relationships
in wild bonnet macaques (Macaca radiata), a primate
species endemic to peninsular India. |
| Item Type: |
Journal Paper
|
| Additional Information: |
The Copyright belongs to Indian Academy of Sciences. |
| Keywords: |
animal cognition, animal behaviour, social knowledge-based decision-making, tactical deception, bonnet macaques |
| Subjects: |
School of Natural and Engineering Sciences > Animal Behaviour
School of Natural and Engineering Sciences > Cognition |
| Date Deposited: |
13 May 2006 |
| Last Modified: |
04 Jun 2022 05:12 |
| Official URL: |
https://www.jstor.org/stable/24108785 |
| Related URLs: |
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| Funders: |
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| Projects: |
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| DOI: |
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| URI: |
http://eprints.nias.res.in/id/eprint/3 |
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