Number Comprehension by a Grey Parrot (Psittacus erithacus), Including a Zero-Like Concept
Publication Type: |
Journal Article |
Year of Publication: |
2005 |
Authors: |
Gordon JD. Pepperberg IM |
Publication/Journal: |
Journal of Comparative Psychology |
Keywords: |
accuracy, comprehension, grey parrot, heterogeneous groups, psittacus erithacus, quantify item sets |
ISBN: |
0735-7036 |
Abstract:
A Grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus) that was able to quantify 6 item sets (including subsets of heterogeneous groups, e.g., blue blocks within groupings of blue and green blocks and balls) using English labels (I. M. Pepperberg, 1994a) was tested on comprehension of these labels, which is crucial for numerical competence (K. C. Fuson, 1988; see also record 1987-98811-000). He was, without training, asked “What color/object number?” for collections of various simultaneously presented quantities (e.g., subsets of 4, 5, and 6 blocks of 3 different colors; subsets of 2, 4, and 6 keys, corks, and sticks). Accuracy was greater than 80% and was unaffected by array quantity, mass, or contour. His results demonstrated numerical comprehension competence comparable to that of chimpanzees and very young children. He also demonstrated knowledge of absence of quantity, using “none” to designate zero. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved) (journal abstract)