[Taxacom] orangutans outsmart chimpanzees

[John Grehan]

A further piece of the puzzle regarding the orangutan theory of human
origin. A recent publication presenting a comparison of overall
intelligence placed orangutans at the top followed by chimpanzees
(although, if my quick read is correct the differences are not
statistically different at p less than 0.10). Interestingly, the nature
on line article was titled "Its official: apes outsmart monkeys". You
can bet that if chimpanzees were on top the Nature title would have been
"Its official: chimpanzees outsmart all other non-human primates". One
sees time and again popular science focusing in on the intelligence of
chimpanzees because they are supposed to be our closest living relative,
and yet they do not appear to command any significant lead (if any lead
at all) over orangutans. To the contrary, evidence is pointing to the
reverse.

 

Source Deaner R. O., van Schaik C. P.& Johnson V. (2006) Do some taxa
have better domain general cognition than others? A meta-analysis of
nonhuman primate studies. Evol. Psychol., 4. 149 - 1496 (2006).

 

John Grehan

 

Dr. John R. Grehan

Director of Science and Collections

Buffalo Museum of Science1020 Humboldt Parkway

Buffalo, NY 14211-1193

email: jgrehan at sciencebuff.org

Phone: (716) 896-5200 ext 372

 

Panbiogeography

http://www.sciencebuff.org/biogeography_and_evolutionary_biology.php

Ghost moth research

http://www.sciencebuff.org/systematics_and_evolution_of_hepialdiae.php

Human evolution and the great apes

http://www.sciencebuff.org/human_origin_and_the_great_apes.php

 

 

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