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First test, then judge future-oriented behaviour in animals

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 October 2007

Elisabeth H. M. Sterck  and
Valérie Dufour
Elisabeth H. M. Sterck
Affiliation:
Department of Behavioural Biology, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, The NetherlandsE.H.M.Sterck@bio.uu.nlhttp://www.bio.uu.nl/behaviour/Sterck/index.html Ethology Research, Animal Science Department, Biomedical Primate Research Centre, 2288 GJ Rijswijk, The Netherlands;
Valérie Dufour
Affiliation:
Ethology Research, Animal Science Department, Biomedical Primate Research Centre, 2288 GJ Rijswijk, The Netherlands; Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, UMR 7178, Department Ecologie, Physiologie and Ethologie, CNRS, 67087 Strasbourg, Cedex 02, France. Valerie.dufour@c-strasbourg.fr
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Abstract

Suddendorf & Corballis (S&C) argue that animals are not capable of mental time travel (MTT) or its components. However, new results on chimpanzees suggest that they plan for the future and possess some MTT components. Moreover, future-oriented behaviour and episodic-like memory in other animals suggest that not all animals are limited to the present. Animals' capacities should not be dismissed without testing them.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 30 , Issue 3 , June 2007 , pp. 333 - 334
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2007

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