Toddlers Beat the Great Apes at Social Learning
New research in Science reveals that children and apes are on par when it comes to straight numerical and spatial abilities, but when they're tested on social learning, the children excel.
SUBSCRIBE TO 60-Second Mind
On supporting science journalism
If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
Humans have a lot in common with the great apes. We both make tools, we both have something sort of like laughter – and we share about 94 percent of our DNA.
Now researchers from the Max Planck Institute are trying to parse out just what cognitive skills we share with these forest creatures.
Their study published today in the journal Science, compared the skills of two & half-year-old children to those of chimps and orangutans ranging from 3 to 21 years old.
They found that children and apes are equally good at numerical and spatial skills, but when it comes to social learning the children left the apes in the dust.
For instance, toddlers learned how to pop open a container by watching the experimenter and then copying her. The apes, however, did not imitate. They made connections like, "stick helps open box," but instead of imitating, apes use the slower trick of trial and error.
The researchers explain that imitation is a fast way acquire a lot of knowledge and may have paved the way for our departure from these primate cousins – and ultimately allowed us to develop the complex social culture we have today.
It’s Time to Stand Up for Science
If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.
I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.
If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.
In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can't-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world's best writing and reporting. You can even gift someone a subscription.
There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.
