The Mentalities of Gorillas and Orangutans: Comparative Perspectives

by Edited by Sue Taylor Parker , Robert W. Mitchell , H. Lyn Miles

• ISBN13: 9780521580274
• ISBN10: 0521580277
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1999-09-28
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

Research on the mental abilities of chimpanzees and bonobos has been widely celebrated and used in reconstructions of human evolution. In contrast, scant attention has been paid to the abilities of gorillas and orangutans. This volume aims to complete the picture of hominoid cognition by bringing together the work on gorillas and orangutans and setting it in comparative perspective. This book's introductory chapters set the evolutionary context for comparing cognition in gorillas and orangutans to that of chimpanzees, bonobos, and humans. The remaining chapters focus primarily on the kinds and levels of intelligence displayed by orangutans and gorillas compared to other great apes, including performances in the classic domains of tool use and tool making, imitation, self awareness, social communication, and symbol use.

Table of Contents

List of contributors	vii
Preface	ix
Acknowledgments	xi
I Comparative evolutionary and developmental perspectives on gorillas and orangutans
Hominid family values: morphological and molecular data on relations among the great apes and humans	3	(40)
David R. Begun
The Life history and development of great apes in comparative perspective	43	(27)
Sue T. Parker
The frontal lobes of the great apes with a focus on the gorilla and the orangutan	70	(29)
Katerina Semendeferi
II Cognition and tool use in gorillas and orangutans
Intelligent tool use in wild Sumatran orangutans	99	(18)
Elizabeth A. Fox
Arnold F. Sitompul
Carel P. Van Schaik
Orangutans' imitation of tool use: a cognitive interpretation	117	(30)
Anne E. Russon
Object manipulation and skill organization in the complex food preparation of mountain gorillas	147	(13)
Richard W. Byrne
Development of sensorimotor intelligence in infant gorillas: the manipulation of objects in problem-solving and exploration	160	(19)
Juan C. Gomez
Tool use in captive gorillas	179	(9)
Sarah T. Boysen
Valerie A. Kuhlmeier
Peter Halliday
Yolanda M. Halliday
A survey of tool use in zoo gorillas	188	(9)
Sue T. Parker
Mary Kerr
Hal Markowitz
Jay Gould
III Communication in gorillas and orangutans
Symbolic communication with and by great apes	197	(14)
H. Lyn Miles
The development of spontaneous gestural communication in a group of zoo-living lowland gorillas	211	(29)
Joanne E. Tanner
Richard W. Byrne
Early sign-language acquisition: comparisons between children and gorillas	240	(25)
John B. Bonvillian
Francine G. P. Patterson
Early sign performance in a free-ranging, adult orangutan	265	(18)
Gary L. Shapiro
Birute M. F. Galdikas
IV Social cognition in gorillas and orangutans
Comparative aspects of mirror self-recognition in great apes	283	(12)
Karyl B. Swartz
Dena Sarauw
Sian Evans
Deception and concealment as strategic script violation in great apes and humans	295	(21)
Robert W. Mitchell
Levels of imitation and cognitive mechanisms in orangutans	316	(26)
Joseph Call
Parental encouragement in Gorilla in comparative perspective: implications for social cognition and the evolution of teaching	342	(25)
Andrew Whiten
The development of social roles in the play of an infant gorilla and its relationship to sensorimotor intellectual development	367	(30)
Sue T. Parker
V Epilogue
The mentalities of gorillas and orangutans in phylogenetic perspective	397	(15)
Sue t. Parker
Robert W. Mitchell
Index of authors	412	(4)
Index of subjects	416