scholarly journals Mirror self-recognition in gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla): a review and evaluation of mark test replications and variants

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lindsay E. Murray ◽  
James R. Anderson ◽  
Gordon G. Gallup
Keyword(s):  
Gorilla Gorilla ◽  
The Self ◽  
Olfactory Cues ◽  
Self Awareness ◽  
Gorilla Gorilla Gorilla ◽  
Mark Test ◽  
Self Recognition ◽  
Key Features ◽  
Over Time

AbstractMirror self-recognition (MSR), widely regarded as an indicator of self-awareness, has not been demonstrated consistently in gorillas. We aimed to examine this issue by setting out a method to evaluate gorilla self-recognition studies that is objective, quantifiable, and easy to replicate. Using Suarez and Gallup’s (J Hum Evol 10:175–183, 1981) study as a reference point, we drew up a list of 15 methodological criteria and assigned scores to all published studies of gorilla MSR for both methodology and outcomes. Key features of studies finding both mark-directed and spontaneous self-directed responses included visually inaccessible marks, controls for tactile and olfactory cues, subjects who were at least 5 years old, and clearly distinguishing between responses in front of versus away from the mirror. Additional important criteria include videotaping the tests, having more than one subject, subjects with adequate social rearing, reporting post-marking observations with mirror absent, and giving mirror exposure in a social versus individual setting. Our prediction that MSR studies would obtain progressively higher scores as procedures and behavioural coding practices improved over time was supported for methods, but not for outcomes. These findings illustrate that methodological rigour does not guarantee stronger evidence of self-recognition in gorillas; methodological differences alone do not explain the inconsistent evidence for MSR in gorillas. By implication, it might be suggested that, in general, gorillas do not show compelling evidence of MSR. We advocate that future MSR studies incorporate the same criteria to optimize the quality of attempts to clarify the self-recognition abilities of gorillas as well as other species.

Mirror self-recognition

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Theresa Schilhab
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Psychology ◽  
Mental States ◽  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
The Body ◽  
The Self ◽  
Self Concept ◽  
General Interest ◽  
Self Awareness ◽  
Mark Test ◽  
Self Recognition

Mirror self-recognition (MSR) refers to the empirical investigation of self-awareness, also known as the ‘mirror and mark test’ introduced by psychologist Gordon G. Gallup (1970). The ability to direct behaviour to previously unseen parts of the body such as the inside of the mouth or to groom the eye by the aid of mirrors has been interpreted as the recognition of the self and evidence of a self-concept. Unknowingly, a similar approach was developed independently with children (Amsterdam 1972). The successful passing of the mirror and mark test has been widely used as a benchmark for distinguishing conscious and non-conscious species within fields with a general interest in evolutionary perspectives on consciousness and cognition such as comparative psychology and cognitive ethology, although controversies about the methodology and theoretical framework persist. These disputes question our intuitions about consciousness and accentuate the epistemic difficulty of obtaining evidence on mental states in others.

Is self-esteem a resource for the parental couple? A longitudinal study on the quality of the romantic and coparental relationships

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 3773-3795
Author(s):  
Nahema El Ghaziri ◽  
Joëlle Darwiche ◽  
Jean-Philippe Antonietti
Keyword(s):  
Relationship Quality ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
The Self ◽  
Family Unit ◽  
The Family ◽  
Parental Couple ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Over Time

The aim of this study is to investigate the longitudinal influence of self-esteem on romantic and coparental relationship quality. The data were drawn from the German Family Panel, pairfam. Parents ( n couples = 2,364) were assessed three times over 4 years. The results indicated that romantic and coparental quality decreased over time, while self-esteem remained stable. The self-esteem of both parents predicted initial romantic and coparental quality. Additionally, mothers’ self-esteem reduced the decline in romantic quality. Finally, romantic quality mediated the relationship between parents’ self-esteem and coparental quality. These results suggest that self-esteem might be a resource for the parental couple and even for the family unit, as romantic and coparental quality are key elements for the well-being of both parent and child.

scholarly journals Cleaner wrasse pass the mark test. What are the implications for consciousness and self-awareness testing in animals?

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masanori Kohda ◽  
Takashi Hotta ◽  
Tomohiro Takeyama ◽  
Satoshi Awata ◽  
Hirokazu Tanaka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Cognitive Process ◽  
Mirror Image ◽  
Self Awareness ◽  
Labroides Dimidiatus ◽  
Mark Test ◽  
Self Recognition ◽  
Behavioural Patterns ◽  
Major Taxon ◽  
Frequent Observation

AbstractThe ability to perceive and recognise a reflected mirror image as self (mirror self-recognition, MSR) is considered a hallmark of cognition across species. Although MSR has been reported in mammals and birds, it is not known to occur in any other major taxon. A factor potentially limiting the ability to test for MSR is that the established assay for MSR, the mark test, shows an interpretation bias towards animals with the dexterity (or limbs) required to touch a mark. Here, we show that the cleaner wrasse fish, Labroides dimidiatus, passes through all phases of the mark test: (i) social reactions towards the reflection, (ii) repeated idiosyncratic behaviours towards the mirror (contingency testing), and (iii) frequent observation of their reflection. When subsequently provided with a coloured tag, individuals attempt to remove the mark in the presence of a mirror but show no response towards transparent marks, or to coloured marks in the absence of a mirror. This remarkable finding presents a challenge to our interpretation of the mark test – do we accept that these behavioural responses in the mark test, which are taken as evidence of self-recognition in other species, mean that fish are self-aware? Or do we conclude that these behavioural patterns have a basis in a cognitive process other than self-recognition? If the former, what does this mean for our understanding of animal intelligence? If the latter, what does this mean for our application and interpretation of the mark test as a metric for animal cognitive abilities?

scholarly journals Emerging Self-Representation Presents a Challenge for Perspective Tracking in Infancy

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emanuela Yeung ◽  
Dimitrios Askitis ◽  
Velisar Manea ◽  
Victoria Southgate
Keyword(s):  
Pupil Dilation ◽  
The Self ◽  
Self Awareness ◽  
Older Children ◽  
Self And Other ◽  
Conflict Processing ◽  
Young Infants ◽  
Self Recognition

The capacity to track another’s perspective is present from early in life, with young infants ostensibly able to predict others’ behaviour even when the self and other perspective are at odds. Yet, infants’ abilities are difficult to reconcile with the well-documented challenge that older children face when they need to ignore their own perspective. Here we provide evidence that it is the emergence of self-representation, from around 18 months, that likely creates a perspective conflict between self and other. Using mirror self-recognition as a measure of self-awareness and pupil dilation to index conflict processing, our results show that mirror recognisers perceive greater conflict than non-recognisers when viewing a scenario in which the self and other have divergent perspectives, specifically when the conflict between self and other is salient. These results suggest that infants’ perspective tracking abilities may benefit from an initial absence of self-representation.

The Effect of Auditory Stimuli on User’s Meditation and Workload in a Brain–Computer Interface Game

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 250-262 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriel Alves Mendes Vasiljevic ◽  
Leonardo Cunha de Miranda
Keyword(s):  
Brain Computer Interface ◽  
Controlled Experiment ◽  
The Self ◽  
Computer Interface ◽  
Auditory Stimuli ◽  
Subjective Workload ◽  
Brain Signals ◽  
Key Features ◽  
External Stimuli ◽  
Over Time

Abstract The advancement of Brain–computer interface (BCI) technology allowed for the development of applications not only for physically-impaired users, but for entertainment purposes as well. However, there are still numerous challenges in the development of such applications, as it is not known to which extent external stimuli may interfere with the captured brain signals. Being so, understanding the possible limitations caused by these external stimuli may help developers and designers in the development of future BCI-based applications. This paper presents the results of a controlled experiment designed for investigating the effects of auditory stimuli (AS) on subjects playing a neurofeedback-based game. The experiment consisted of sixteen volunteer subjects who played a total of twelve game matches each, for a total of 144 matches, over the course of three experiment sessions. Statistical analysis and qualitative instruments were employed to investigate key features of the subjects’ interaction with the game over time, especially regarding the influence of AS in both subjects’ performance and self-assessed, subjective workload. It was concluded that the subjects’ level of meditation tends to increase over time, that the self-assessed workload tends to decrease over time, and that the game’s AS did neither significantly influenced the performance nor the subjective workload of the subjects. Research Highlights The influence of auditory stimuli (AS) was investigated with a brain–computer interface game. Meditation level and workload were assessed and evaluated in a controlled experiment setup. Subjects’ performance tends to increase over time, while self-assessed workload tends to decrease. The presence of AS did not influenced the subjects’ meditation level and workload.

scholarly journals The Laws of AI

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Egger L. Mielberg
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Human Life ◽  
The Self ◽  
Practical Implementation ◽  
Self Awareness

The truly transparent and predictable work of the artificial intelligence being created can significantly improve the quality of human life, as well as its safety.In our opinion, the self-awareness of artificial intelligence is achievable only if it is independent in making any decision.We present three basic laws of artificial intelligence focused primarily on the possibility of their practical implementation.

scholarly journals Quality of life in colorectal cancer outpatients

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Cristiano Pereira de Oliveira ◽  
Felipe Aguzzoli Heberle ◽  
Marcela Alves de Moraes ◽  
Mateus Andrade Rocha ◽  
Tânia Rudnicki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Colorectal Cancer ◽  
Statistical Analysis ◽  
Psychosocial Factors ◽  
Psychosocial Aspects ◽  
The Self ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Homogeneous Distribution ◽  
Over Time

Aim This study aimed to longitudinally analyze Quality of Life and its association with physical and psychosocial factors of patients with colorectal cancer. Method Fifty-one outpatients undergoing treatment for colorectal cancer were elected for convenience and were evaluated twice during their treatment. Evaluations were performed for Quality of Life, as well as socio-demographic, diagnostic and therapeutic variables. Afterwards, descriptive and inferential statistical analysis were performed, establishing the appropriate comparisons. Results The results identified a characteristic profile with a relatively homogeneous distribution: 51% were men with an average age of 60.1 years old (SD = 9.3 years) at the baseline. In general, concerning psychosocial aspects, there was a higher Quality of Life than other studies with the same population, in addition to a significant improvement over time in all subscales of performance and symptoms. Furthermore, it was evidenced that the physical aspects considerably influenced the self-report of the Quality of Life. Conclusion The recognition of the interferences that physical aspects pose to Quality of Life, should permeate the practices of teams involved in the care of these patients.

scholarly journals Az éntudat kialakulása

2000 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 113-134
Author(s):  
Gábor Stefanics
Keyword(s):  
Complex Model ◽  
Mirror Image ◽  
The Body ◽  
The Self ◽  
Self Awareness ◽  
Human Infants ◽  
Multi Level ◽  
The Mind ◽  
Sense Modalities

Jelen dolgozat az éntudattal rendelkező élőlények tudatának fejlődését vizsgálja. Az első rész főemlősök és csecsemők tükörképükre adott viselkedéses reakcióit elemzi, a hangsúlyt az éntudat jelenlétére utaló viselkedésformák fokozatosan fejlődő jellegére helyezve. Áttekintést nyújt a különböző modalitásokhoz tartozó testsémák eltérő reprezentációiról és magyarázatot kíván nyújtani az éntudat önszervező kialakulására. A második rész a testsémák és az éntudat önszervező folyamatait a matematikai csoportelmélet és az eltérő logikai szintek elméletével írja le, valamint a környezet és az éntudat közti információáramlás többszintű, komplex modelljét mutatja be.Present paper investigates the development of mind in living creatures showing the signs of having self-awareness. Behavioral phenomena of primates and human infants appearing to their mirror image are analised in the first part of the paper, laying the emphasis on the gradual quality of development of self-awareness. A survey of different representations belonging to variant sense modalities is provided in order to explain the self-organizing emergence of self-awareness. The second part describes the self-modifying process of body-schemes and self-awareness using mathematical group-theory and the theory of sets as metaphorical devices. A multi-level complex model of information-flow between the mind and environment is outlined. The main purpose of the paper is to provide a better understanding of the phenomenon of downward causation and to fill the gap of the ancient question of the body-mind (brain-mind) problem. This rather ambitious contribution to mind research also implies vague hints for the ones that are concerned about the research of artificial intelligence.

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