The world may change its perception as to how apes actually think. The possibility of humans and primates sharing a common denominator with regards to understanding things is highly likely. Man has long held the belief that it is the only species that can contemplate differently. However, a new research unveils that apes ponder on the same level as humans. In fact, chimpanzees, monkeys and orangutans can sense if a person is having a miscue.
Judging from that context, it is believed that such cognitive level easily compares a child to primates. The sense of awareness begins during childhood and progresses onwards. The process of fully comprehending things allows individuals to know that others are feeling and thinking.
Experts believe that this concept called Theory of Mind is unique to humans. Developing it is exclusively within man's reach.
According to Duke University's Christopher Krupenye, who co-authored the study, cognitive ability is central to many human social skills.
The ability to sense things contains definite and adverse effects. People figure situations both positively and negatively. A trail of thought often leads persons to manipulation in order to achieve specific goals. This skill of maneuvering or trickery is what drove scientists to assess how apes think or feel about others.
During the study, two men set themselves up for a couple of role plays. In the first scene, one of them gets into a monkey suit and hides in a haystack while the other watches. The man leaves and the 'monkey man' slips out unknowingly. Then the man comes back trying to look for the guy in the monkey suit.
In the second scenario, the man comes in searching for a stone hidden by the 'monkey guy.' While the man was out, the guy in the monkey suit takes the stone and leaves.
Scientists have these videotaped scenes viewed by the apes. Eye movements of the primates are observed. The test here is the apes' anticipating the man's return to look for the stone even though the stone is no longer there. In both videos, the primates look long and hard at the part where the man last saw the stone. Such awareness reveals that the apes knew that the man would still think that the object is still there even if it wasn't.
Results show that 17 out of 22 primates tested changed their gazes indicating that they positively expected the man to look for something that is not there.
Although primates have promising capabilities in terms of understanding what others are thinking, differentiating unreal thoughts from genuine ones remains a challenge. Such fundamental approach to reality is what they actually lack. The test has shown that the apes are able to analyze a situation based on their own primitive and rudimentary ways.
