How do children compare with

chimps?

Empathy, deception and cooperation

Are chimps capable of empathy? Are chimps capable of empathy?

Premack & Woodruff (1978)Premack & Woodruff (1978)

The trouble with The trouble with Premack & Premack & Woodruff:Woodruff: Is it necessary to Is it necessary to

engage in empathy engage in empathy in order to identify in order to identify a problem solution? a problem solution?

Possibly not.Possibly not.

Warneken & Tomasello, 2006, Science

How Sarah inspired the study of How Sarah inspired the study of deceptiondeception

Woodruff & Premack (1979)Woodruff & Premack (1979) Do chimps understand Do chimps understand

the two-way link the two-way link between between communicating and communicating and knowing?knowing?

If you want to mislead If you want to mislead someone, feed them someone, feed them with misinformation! with misinformation!

Conversely, trust Conversely, trust communication from communication from someone who is someone who is honest and informed! honest and informed!

Povinelli et al. Povinelli et al.

ResultsResults

Heyes (1994): Training studies are Heyes (1994): Training studies are inadequateinadequate

Povinelli’s (1990)Povinelli’s (1990) new condition solves the problemnew condition solves the problem

Variations on the themeVariations on the theme

A nonverbal analogue of the A nonverbal analogue of the

message-desire taskmessage-desire task (Call & Tomasello, (Call & Tomasello, 2000)2000)

Stage 1: A man watches as a Stage 1: A man watches as a treat is hidden under one of two treat is hidden under one of two cups; the chimp can’t see the cups; the chimp can’t see the hidinghiding

Stage 2: The man leavesStage 2: The man leaves Stage 3: The cups (and their Stage 3: The cups (and their

contents) are swapped aroundcontents) are swapped around Stage 4: The man returns and Stage 4: The man returns and

points to one of the cupspoints to one of the cups Stage 5: The chimp has a single Stage 5: The chimp has a single

chance to retrieve the reward chance to retrieve the reward and is scored correct is she and is scored correct is she looks under the cup the man looks under the cup the man did did notnot point to point to