From the Age of 5 Humans Decide Economically, Whereas Crows Exhibit Individual Preferences.

ABSTRACT: Human societies greatly depend on tools, which spare us considerable time and effort. Humans might have evolved a bias to employ tools, using them even when they are unnecessary. This study aimed to investigate whether adult humans and a distantly related habitually tool-using vertebrate species, the New Caledonian crow (Corvus moneduloides), use tools depending on their necessity. In addition, children aged 3 to 5 years were examined to investigate the developmental pattern. The task involved choosing between using a body part (i.e. crows: beak; humans: hand) or a tool for retrieving a reward from a box. All subjects were tested in two conditions. In the Body+/Tool- condition, using the body was more efficient than using the tool, and conversely in the Body-/Tool+ condition. Our results s

SUBMITTER: Danel S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5719055 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature