How intelligent are dolphins? A partial answer based on their ability to plan their behavior when confronted with novel problems

Kuczaj, Stan A.; Gory, John D.; Xitco, Mark J.

doi:10.2502/janip.59.1.9

Cited by 32 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…While dolphins show great variability between seasons and throughout the day, it appears that behaviors are unlikely to change back and forth between different states at random, meaning there is a distinct purpose behind each of their behavioral states that continues until some goal or outcome is reached. The observed consistency in behavioral states suggests that dolphins may plan their behavior, a conclusion that is consistent with research on the cognitive abilities of dolphins within human care (Kuczaj & Walker 2006; Kuczaj et al. 2009).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 83%

Seasonal and Diurnal Patterns of Behavior Exhibited by Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Mississippi Sound

2010

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Many of the threats to bottlenose dolphins are anthropogenic factors including overfishing, high‐speed boats, chemical runoff, and noise pollution. Having a thorough understanding of the behavior and behavioral patterns of these animals can help with conservation plans to protect this species. This study examined the behavioral states and behavioral events of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Mississippi Sound. The behavioral states exhibited by dolphins within the Sound were found to vary by both season and time of day. Dolphins socialized more during the spring and spent more time feeding in the fall. Feeding was highest early in the morning and decreased throughout the day, while socializing occurred at low levels in the morning and increased in the early afternoon. Two distinct forms of social behavior and multiple feeding strategies were exhibited by dolphins within the Sound. Results suggest that certain percussive behavioral events may be used to communicate motivation during transitional behavioral states. These results demonstrate the need for a more complete understanding of dolphin behavior that will facilitate the conservation of this species.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 83%

Seasonal and Diurnal Patterns of Behavior Exhibited by Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Mississippi Sound

2010

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“…Finally, in studies of planning behaviour with two bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), subjects had to learn to reuse a weight as a tool by dropping it into boxes that resulted in a reward being released, but one of the boxes retained the weight so that it could not be reused. Both individuals rapidly learned to visit the weight-retaining box last in order to obtain a maximum reward (Kuczaj et al 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

What cognitive strategies do orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) use to solve a trial-unique puzzle-tube task incorporating multiple obstacles?

2011

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Apparently sophisticated behaviour during problem-solving is often the product of simple underlying mechanisms, such as associative learning or the use of procedural rules. These and other more parsimonious explanations need to be eliminated before higher-level cognitive processes such as causal reasoning or planning can be inferred. We presented three Bornean orangutans with 64 trial-unique configurations of a puzzle-tube to investigate whether they were able to consider multiple obstacles in two alternative paths, and subsequently choose the correct direction in which to move a reward in order to retrieve it. We were particularly interested in how subjects attempted to solve the task, namely which behavioural strategies they could have been using, as this is how we may begin to elucidate the cognitive mechanisms underpinning their choices. To explore this, we simulated performance outcomes across the 64 trials for various procedural rules and rule combinations that subjects may have been using based on the configuration of different obstacles. Two of the three subjects solved the task, suggesting that they were able to consider at least some of the obstacles in the puzzle-tube before executing action to retrieve the reward. This is impressive compared with the past performances of great apes on similar, arguably less complex tasks. Successful subjects may have been using a heuristic rule combination based on what they deemed to be the most relevant cue (the configuration of the puzzle-tube ends), which may be a cognitively economical strategy.

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“…Dolphins learn to expect rewards based on past experiences. Animals may plan their behavior in a meaningful way (Kuczaj, Gory, & Xitco, 2009) and can recognize order by having an appreciation for the relationship between actions and outcomes (Kuczaj, Gory, & Xitco, 1998).…”

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confidence: 99%

Dolphins Signal Success by Producing a Victory Squeal

Dibble¹,

Alstyne²,

Ridgway³

2016

IJCP

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We have long observed dolphins producing recognizable sounds—bursts of pulses with sweeping peak frequencies—at prey capture. We call this the victory squeal. When dolphins hunt fish, there are three sequential sounds: sonar clicks, terminal buzz, and the victory squeal. When dolphins find a fish with sonar clicks, but reject the fish during the terminal buzz phase, they omit or truncate the victory squeal. We also observe dolphins producing the victory squeal after a trainer’s bridge, which serves as secondary reinforcement that bridges the time gap between the dolphin’s performance and delivery of food reinforcement. It signals the dolphins that they responded correctly and that reward is forthcoming. Before training, the victory squeal came after fish capture, but with successive trials, there was a forward shift in the victory squeal to come about 200 ms after the bridge. The victory squeal immediately following the bridge suggests the dolphin expects reward. Although there are no direct studies of dopamine release in cetaceans, early brain stimulation studies demonstrated consistent timing that may link the victory squeal with brain dopamine release. In the current study, we asked if dolphins might produce the victory squeal after task completion, but without the trainer’s bridge. Dolphins carried cameras, recording video and sound, while performing tasks in the open ocean, away from trainers, during swimmer/mine marking and retrieving. In each task, we observed the victory squeal immediately upon completion of task components. We suggest that the victory squeal signals that these experienced dolphins recognized their success.

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How intelligent are dolphins? A partial answer based on their ability to plan their behavior when confronted with novel problems

Cited by 32 publications

References 47 publications

Seasonal and Diurnal Patterns of Behavior Exhibited by Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Mississippi Sound

Seasonal and Diurnal Patterns of Behavior Exhibited by Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Mississippi Sound

What cognitive strategies do orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) use to solve a trial-unique puzzle-tube task incorporating multiple obstacles?

Dolphins Signal Success by Producing a Victory Squeal

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