Overview
The lecture examines attempts to teach language to apes, focusing on Coco the gorilla, and explores the limits of animal communication, the shortcomings of the research, and broader questions about empathy and animal intelligence.
Anthropomorphism and Animal Communication
- Humans often assign human traits and emotions to animals and objects (anthropomorphism).
- Animals, especially pets, can understand words, tone, and some learned commands.
- Some animals (dogs, cows, crows) exhibit surprising intelligence, such as recognizing faces or using tools.
The Nature of Language
- Two main views on language development: behaviorist (Skinner) and innate (Chomsky).
- Behaviorists believe language is acquired through reinforcement and conditioning.
- Chomsky argued humans have an innate language faculty not shared by other animals.
- Early experiments tried teaching apes spoken language but failed due to physiological constraints.
Sign Language Experiments with Apes
- Researchers turned to teaching apes, like Washoe and Coco, sign language.
- Coco reportedly learned hundreds of signs and combined them creatively (e.g., "finger bracelet" for "ring").
- Apes' language use was often interpreted as evidence against Chomsky’s theory.
Critiques and Scientific Issues
- Herbert Terrace’s research with Nim Chimpsky found apes' signing lacked true grammar, spontaneity, or complexity.
- Most ape sign language data (like Coco's) was unpublished, uncontrolled, and lacked transparency.
- Researchers often prompted apes, rationalized mistakes, and over-interpreted simple signs.
- Sign language used by apes was often a modified or limited form, not equivalent to natural ASL.
Failures in Ape Communication Research
- Close relationships between trainers and apes could bias interpretation of signs.
- Researchers did not treat sign language as a true language (ignored grammar and dialect differences).
- Claims about apes' language skills (Coco’s "last words," rhyming, etc.) lack reliable evidence.
- Funding collapsed after critical papers; many apes faced neglect or poor conditions as a result.
Broader Reflections on Language, Empathy, and Animal Rights
- Language is critical for human cognitive development and is structured differently in sign languages.
- Apes in studies did not demonstrate true linguistic ability or complex self-expression.
- Emotional intelligence and social bonds in animals are real but do not require human-like language.
- Human empathy should not depend on animals mirroring human communication or intelligence.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Anthropomorphism — Attributing human characteristics to non-human entities.
- Behaviorism — Theory that behavior (including language) is learned through conditioning.
- Innate Language Faculty — Chomsky’s idea that humans are biologically predisposed to acquire language.
- Sign Language (ASL) — Visual language with its own grammar, not just a signed version of spoken English.
- Lexigram — Symbol system used to represent words, sometimes used in ape language studies.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Reflect on why empathy for animals often depends on their perceived similarity to humans.
- Consider reading more on animal cognition, sign language structure, and the ethics of animal research.