Scientists have discovered a characteristic of human thinking in chimpanzees

Chimpanzees have more complex rational thinking than previously thought. The study showed that primates reconsider their decisions when they receive stronger evidence, a skill characteristic of human thinking. This was reported on November 16 by Science Daily magazine.

In a chimpanzee sanctuary on Ngamba Island in Uganda, researchers conducted an experiment by asking the animals to choose a box from the presented ones. Food was placed in one of them. First, the primates were given a hint of the right choice, and then a more convincing clue pointing to another box. As a result, many chimpanzees changed their minds.

"The chimpanzees were able to reconsider their beliefs when more convincing evidence became available. We often associate this kind of flexibility of thinking with four-year-olds. It was interesting to show that chimpanzees are also capable of this," said Emily Sanford, a researcher in psychology at the University of California at Berkeley.

To exclude simple explanations (for example, reaction to the last signal or orientation to the most noticeable stimulus), the scientists applied strict experimental control and computational modeling. The analysis showed that the primate's decisions corresponded to patterns of rational belief revision.

According to the authors, the findings refute the notion that rationality is only a human characteristic. Sanford emphasized that the differences between humans and chimpanzees are not a chasm, but a continuum.

The researchers believe that understanding such cognitive mechanisms can change approaches to early learning or provide a new perspective on modeling thinking in artificial intelligence (AI) systems. At the next stage of the project, the same belief review tasks will be applied to children. In addition, the team of scientists plans to expand the research to other primate species.

Earlier, on November 1, the journal Science X reported the discovery of chimpanzees and bonobos with social connections similar to humans. Researchers have studied the social grooming of monkeys and found that most primates concentrate intensive care on several partners, maintaining weaker bonds with many others. Scientists have clarified that this resembles the "friendship layers" of a person.

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