No evidence that monkeys attribute mental states to animated shapes in the Heider-Simmel videos.

ABSTRACT: Human Theory of Mind (ToM) is so automatic and pervasive that we spontaneously attribute mental states to animated abstract shapes, as evidenced by the classic Heider-Simmel findings. The extent to which this represents a fundamental characteristic of primate social cognition is debated. Prior research suggests that monkeys spontaneously predict behavior and attribute basic goals to conspecifics, but it remains unclear whether, like humans, they spontaneously ascribe mental states to animated shapes. Here, we address this question by analyzing rhesus monkeys' viewing patterns of the classic Heider-Simmel animations. We hypothesized that if rhesus monkeys also spontaneously attribute mental states to animated shapes, then, like humans, they would have the longest fixation durations for theo

SUBMITTER: Schafroth JL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7862678 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature