生物谷報道：大多數(shù)孩子都習慣于這樣的心理游戲：當被要求為了允諾的款待——例如觀看1小時電視——而耐心等待時,，這些孩子往往會用一個玩具或一本書轉(zhuǎn)移自己的注意力。研究人員如今發(fā)現(xiàn),，黑猩猩也具有類似的注意力自我分散行為,。這一結(jié)果使人與其他靈長類動物之間的認知與行為邊界變得愈發(fā)模糊不清,。
這一發(fā)現(xiàn)來自美國亞特蘭大市佐治亞州立大學完成的一項研究。心理學家Theodore Evans和Michael Beran分別將4只黑猩猩置于一個與糖果自動售貨機相連的容器前,。這些靈長類動物能夠在任何時間接近這個容器,，并吃掉其中堆積的糖果，然而一旦黑猩猩開始享用糖果,，自動售貨機便不再補給任何新的糖果,。這就使得黑猩猩盡可能地拖延它們獲得獎賞的時間，從而使自己能夠吃到更多的糖果,。
在另一項試驗中,，這些黑猩猩被安排在類似的場景中，這次,，研究人員還為它們提供了玩具,。像坐立不安的孩子一樣，在這種情況下,，黑猩猩通過將注意力轉(zhuǎn)移到玩具上,，能夠堅持更長的時間。研究小組在日前的《生物學快報》網(wǎng)絡(luò)版上報告了這一研究成果,。為了確定玩玩具是否真的分散了黑猩猩的注意力,，研究人員為黑猩猩設(shè)計了另外一種場景——它們能夠看到盛滿糖果的容器，但卻不能接近后者,。與無法觸碰容器相比,，在能夠接觸容器的情況下，大多數(shù)的黑猩猩都會花更多的時間玩玩具,，這意味著它們的游戲是一種權(quán)衡的策略,，為的是控制自己吃糖果的沖動。
佐治亞州亞特蘭大市恩莫利大學的靈長類動物學家Frans de Waal表示,，這項研究填補了人類與其他物種之間的又一個“心理缺口”,，同時為令人印象深刻的動物認知技能增加了新的內(nèi)容，例如使用工具以及計劃未來,。他指出：“對于人類而言,，我們會將這種行為視為一種與誘惑有關(guān)的自我意識，即除非你轉(zhuǎn)移自己的注意力,，否則你將墜入其中,。”
作者表示,，這項研究同時說明動物的自我意識比科學家之前認識的要復雜得多。Evans說：“它讓我們思考,，對于黑猩猩和其他動物的心理活動到底有多少了解,。”他指出：“黑猩猩能夠意識到它們正在被糖果誘惑嗎？與此類似,，人類是否意識到誘惑他們的往往是一些多余的商品呢,？”（科學時報）
原始出處:
Biology Letters
Researchers have found that chimps know how to distract themselves with play in order to ward off temptation.
Chimpanzees use self-distraction to cope with impulsivity
Theodore A. Evans1, Michael J. Beran1
1Language Research Center, Georgia State University, University Plaza, Atlanta, GA 30302, USA
摘要
It is unknown whether animals, like humans, can employ behavioural strategies to cope with impulsivity. To examine this question, we tested whether chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) would use self-distraction as a coping strategy in a situation in which they had to continually inhibit responses to accumulating candies in order to earn a greater amount of those rewards. We tested animals in three conditions in which they were sometimes given a set of toys and were sometimes allowed physical access to the accumulating candies. Chimpanzees allowed the rewards to accumulate longer before responding when they could divert their attention to the toys, and they manipulated the toys more when the candies were physically accessible. Thus, chimpanzees engaged in self-distraction with the toys when such behaviour was most beneficial as a coping mechanism.
Keywords
self-distraction, self-control, impulsivity, chimpanzee, Pan troglodytes
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