Savage-Rumbaugh Et Al

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Savage-Rumbaugh Et Al

Savage-Rumbaugh 

Language acuisition in pgymy chimpanzees

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Participants

Participants 

  • 2 Pygym chimpanzees (Kanzi and Mulika)
  • 2 common chimpanzees (Sherman and Austin)
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Method

Method

  • Longlitudinal study 
  • Quasi (IV=comparing species / DV= language aquistion)

Medium of communiction:

  •  lexigram
  • pointing board
  • modelling approach rather than formal training
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Data Recorded

Data Recorded 

  • Kani = All lexigram utterances recorded for 17 months
  • Mulika = all lexigram utternaces reocrded for 10 months

Utterances described as:

  • 1 corerct
  • 2 spontaneous/limited/structured 

Aquistions Criteria - Utternaces must:

  • Be appropriate
  • appear spontaneously 9 out of 10 times
  • demonstrate concordance 9 out of 10 times
  • Observer rating checked: 100% agreement
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Results

Results

  • Kanzi and Mulika:
  • comprehend lexigrams more easily and more spontaneously without training than Sherman and Austin
  • more able to comprehend english spoken words
  • Used lexigram more specifically 
  • Kanzi was able to refer to requests involving others, than benefitted others, unlike sherman and austin 
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Conclusions

Conculsions 

  • Pygym chimpanzees exhibit symbolic and auditory percepital skills that are different from common chimpanzees
  • Suprising as the 2 species are so closely related 
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Evaluation

Evalutaion 

  • Ethical Issues: chimpanzees in human environment 
  • Longlitudinal study: Development can be measured and data is in-depth
  • High in ecological validity as Kanzi could roam around 55 acre sit
  • Small sample: hard to generalize = may not be representative 
  • Quantitative data used 
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