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Chimp Outperforms Humans at Memory Test

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  • 04-12-2007 7:08pm
    #1
    marcsignal
    Registered Users Posts: 4,072 ✭✭✭


    Young chimps can beat adult humans in a task involving remembering numbers, reveals a new study. It is the first time chimps – and young ones, at that – have outperformed humans at a cognitive task.

    And the finding may add weight to a theory about the evolution of language in humans, say the researchers.

    Three adult female chimps, their three 5-year-old offspring, and university student volunteers were tested on their ability to memorise the numbers 1 to 9 appearing at random locations on a touchscreen monitor.

    The chimps had previously been taught the ascending order of the numbers. Using an ability akin to photographic memory, the young chimps were able to memorise the location of the numerals with better accuracy than humans performing the same task.

    During the test, the numerals appeared on the screen for 650, 430 or 210 milliseconds, and were then replaced by blank white squares.


    http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=nTgeLEWr614&feature=user


Comments

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    #2
    MooseJam
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,111 ✭✭✭MooseJam


    I believe it's because chimps have to remember where they stashed the bananas


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    #3
    monkeyfudge
    Registered Users Posts: 23,216 ✭✭✭✭monkeyfudge


    Yeah, yeah... but how did the monkeys score on the test?


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    #4
    connundrum
    Registered Users Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭connundrum


    When the chimp remembers every pin number, password and door entry code that an average person has to remember, coupled with the normal everyday tasks like driving, operating computers, reading, cooking etc then I'll be really impressed.

    For now I'm only mildly impressed.


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    #5
    Pherekydes
    Registered Users Posts: 16,115 ✭✭✭✭Pherekydes


    LOL.

    University student volunteers are not adult humans.


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    #6
    Dave!
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,857 ✭✭✭✭Dave!


    Americans?


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    #7
    SubjectSean
    Registered Users Posts: 458 ✭✭SubjectSean


    apologies to banksy


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    #8
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Wait... where did I put my keys?


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    #9
    Pherekydes
    Registered Users Posts: 16,115 ✭✭✭✭Pherekydes


    Reading the OP again, I'd be after thinking that the researchers are the university student volunteers.

    It's an extremely small sample to draw any conclusions from. The standard error would be huge.


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    #10
    SubjectSean
    Registered Users Posts: 458 ✭✭SubjectSean


    Slow coach wrote: »
    Reading the OP again, I'd be after thinking that the researchers are the university student volunteers.

    It's an extremely small sample to draw any conclusions from. The standard error would be huge.

    Chimps 1 Humans 0 in this match I'm afraid, lets just take it on the chin and try not to make ourselves look like poor losers


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    #11
    biko
    Registered Users Posts: 81,223 ✭✭✭✭biko


    Hey, I never claimed to be smarter than a monkey, nor have better memory :D


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    #12
    Pherekydes
    Registered Users Posts: 16,115 ✭✭✭✭Pherekydes


    SubjectSean wrote: »
    Chimps 1 Humans 0 in this match I'm afraid, lets just take it on the chin and try not to make ourselves look like poor losers

    Include yourself, if you like. But it's a small sample test, so drawing conclusions about the general populace would be problematic at best. Nothing to do with poor losing.


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    #13
    Oswald Osbourne
    Closed Accounts Posts: 537 ✭✭✭Oswald Osbourne


    Well now that we've solved that mystery it's time to move on. Next up I'd like to know which TASTES better, human meat or chimp?


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    #14
    SubjectSean
    Registered Users Posts: 458 ✭✭SubjectSean


    Slow coach wrote: »
    Include yourself, if you like. But it's a small sample test, so drawing conclusions about the general populace would be problematic at best. Nothing to do with poor losing.

    I do include me. But most of all I include you. It's because of people like you that we lost this match. Stop being a sore loser about it. That is my advice.


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    #15
    Lands Leaving
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,145 ✭✭✭Lands Leaving


    hail to the chimps i guess. But lets see them write a good book

    The blurst of times???!!!


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    #16
    Pherekydes
    Registered Users Posts: 16,115 ✭✭✭✭Pherekydes


    SubjectSean wrote: »
    I do include me. But most of all I include you.

    Nothing I can do about that. But, statistically speaking, you are in error. Were you one of the student volunteers? That would explain a lot.


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    #17
    marcsignal
    Registered Users Posts: 4,072 ✭✭✭marcsignal


    Lands Leaving wrote: »
    hail to the chimps i guess. But lets see them write a good book

    Or start posting on Boards :D


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    #18
    SubjectSean
    Registered Users Posts: 458 ✭✭SubjectSean


    Slow coach wrote: »
    Nothing I can do about that. But, statistically speaking, you are in error. Were you one of the student volunteers? That would explain a lot.

    Statstically speaking you are having a very hard time coping with the notion that some humans were beaten by some chimps. Rather than just accept this fact and live with it you are calling into question the calibre of the humans. Did you apply your little 1st-year-undergrad quibble about the population sample to the chimps? No you did not. Just to the losers, the losers like you. You are a poor loser and what is more you are a damned chimpist.


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    #19
    lostexpectation
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,082 ✭✭✭lostexpectation


    did you not see the video on tv the chimps were speeding along. but I wonder did then learn numbers or shapes of characters, a better test would be to put the numbers as I II III , IIII etc and see how fast the humans and chimps count ....


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    #20
    Pherekydes
    Registered Users Posts: 16,115 ✭✭✭✭Pherekydes


    SubjectSean wrote: »
    Did you apply your little 1st-year-undergrad quibble about the population sample to the chimps?

    When you apply standard errors to a test, it's not just to half the test. Any Statistics' Grad would know that. :rolleyes:

    But based on your answer, I guess your just trolling.


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    #21
    Dave!
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,857 ✭✭✭✭Dave!


    Videos:
    http://media.richarddawkins.net/video/2007/chimpcountingtest.mov
    http://media.richarddawkins.net/video/2007/chimpmemorytest.mov

    http://richarddawkins.net/article,1949,Chimps-beat-humans-in-memory-test,BBC


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    #22
    Terry
    Registered Users Posts: 26,061 ✭✭✭✭Terry


    DaveMcG wrote: »
    Videos:
    http://media.richarddawkins.net/video/2007/chimpcountingtest.mov
    http://media.richarddawkins.net/video/2007/chimpmemorytest.mov

    http://richarddawkins.net/article,1949,Chimps-beat-humans-in-memory-test,BBC
    Didn't Dawkins do Herbert Garrison?

    Anyway, chimps generally don't do recreational drugs.
    You maniacs.


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    #23
    Sir Digby Chicken Caesar
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 23,556 ✭✭✭✭Sir Digby Chicken Caesar


    http://www.primates.com/chimps/drunk-n-disorderly.html
    Chimpanzees in western Uganda are increasingly raiding illegal brewing operations in forested river valleys and getting drunk on the country beer. Once intoxicated, they become hostile and attack and at times kill human children, parks officials say.

    elephants get drunk too, and there are reindeer that eat magic mushrooms.


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    #24
    Senna
    Registered Users Posts: 8,800 ✭✭✭Senna


    Look, I know I'm smarter than most moneys, but not those fancy circus moneys, they can ware hats and ride bicycles.


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    #25
    Lirange
    Registered Users Posts: 2,095 ✭✭✭Lirange


    DaveMcG wrote: »
    Americans?
    Well their leader is a chimp.

    Take me to your chimp. Bring only Bananas. No pretzels.


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    #26
    marcsignal
    Registered Users Posts: 4,072 ✭✭✭marcsignal


    This Gorilla seems pretty sharp too ;)

    http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=_MpbMm0433I


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    #27
    Dave!
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,857 ✭✭✭✭Dave!


    pffft, watch the movie 'Congo' for an example of an intelligent gorilla. Amy FTW. Saved them from the silverbacks.


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    #28
    Vaschuk
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5 ✭Vaschuk


    Stupid, remembering is not a skill. Conduct a study worth while. When Chimps can recite the happenings of The Franco Prussian War then call me.


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    #29
    Rb
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,277 ✭✭✭✭Rb


    DaveMcG wrote: »
    Americans?
    That's exactly what I thought when I saw the thread title.


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    #30
    Hypnotoad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 249 ✭✭Hypnotoad


    I love you Dr. Zaius.


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