Spatial transposition tasks in Indian sloth bears (Melursus ursinus) and Bornean sun bears (Helarctos malayanus euryspilus).

• DOI: 10.1037/com0000077
• Publication Date: 2017-06-26T14:53:40Z
• Authors: Daniela Hartmann; Marina Davila-Ross; Siew Te Wong; Josep Call; Marina Scheumann
• Keywords: Sloth; Transposition (logic); Object permanence; Animal cognition; Mammal; Captivity

Spatial transposition tasks assess individuals' ability to represent nonvisible spatial object displacements. Several nonhuman mammal species have been tested on this task including primates, cats, and dogs, but date, great apes seem the only taxon that has repeatedly consistently solved tasks. The authors investigated of captive sloth sun bears solve Both belong same taxonomic group as cats unlike them similar apes, they an omnivorous diet requires keep track fruit sources in space time. were first a visible displacement those succeeded further involved 180° transposition, followed by 2 with two 360° transpositions. All 7 out 9 task. was 6 1 5 bears. Three all 4 experiments even 2-chained Control conditions conducted showing bears' performance did not rely olfactory or auditory cues. results provide indication might be able invisible objects. Further studies will necessary confirm these control influence associative learning. present study emphasizes importance different animal investigation what underlies evolution cognitive skills. (PsycINFO Database Record