Orientation toward humans predicts cognitive performance in orang-utans

摘要: Non-human animals sometimes show marked intraspecific variation in their cognitive abilities that may reflect external inputs and experience during the developmental period. We examined exploration performance on a problem-solving task large sample of captive orang-utans (Pongo abelii &P. pygmaeus, N = 103) had experienced different rearing housing conditions ontogeny, including human exposure. In addition to measuring performance, we also conducted set assays subjects' psychological orientation, reactions towards an unfamiliar human, summarized orientation index (HOI), novel food objects. Using generalized linear mixed models found HOI, rather than background, best predicted both success. Our results suggest cascade processes: was accompanied by change motivation problem-solving, expressed reduced neophobia increased variety, which led greater experience, thus eventually higher task. propose experiences with humans caused individuals vary curiosity understanding physical discuss implications these findings for comparative studies ability.