April 12, 2017
Asian elephants are able to
recognise their bodies as obstacles to success in problem-solving, further
strengthening evidence of their intelligence and self-awareness, according to a
new study from the University of Cambridge.
Self-awareness in both animals
and young children is usually tested using the 'mirror self-recognition test'
to see if they understand that the reflection in front of them is actually their
own. Only a few species have so far shown themselves capable of
self-recognition - great apes, dolphins, magpies and elephants. It is thought
to be linked to more complex forms of perspective taking and empathy.
Critics, however, have argued
that this test is limited in its ability to investigate complex thoughts and
understanding, and that it may be less useful in testing animals who rely less
on vision than other species.
One potential complement to the
mirror test as a measure of self-understanding may be a test of
'body-awareness'. This test looks at how individuals may recognise their bodies
as obstacles to success in a problem-solving task. Such a task could
demonstrate an individual's understanding of its body in relation to its
physical environment, which may be easier to define than the distinction
between oneself and another demonstrated through success at the mirror test.
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