Cited by 573Primate Behavior and EcologyChild and Animal Learning DevelopmentFace Recognition and Perception

Chimpanzees understand psychological states – the question is which ones and to what extent

Tomasello, Michael, Call, Josep, Hare, Brian·2003·Trends in Cognitive Sciences

Abstract

New data suggest that relatively drastic revisions are needed in our theoretical accounts of what other animal species understand about the psychological states of others. Specifically, chimpanzees seem to understand some things about what others do and do not see, or have and have not seen in the immediate past, as well as some things about others' goal-directed activities. This is especially so in competitive situations. They clearly do not have a human-like theory of mind, however, and so the challenge is to specify precisely how ape and human social cognition are similar and different.

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Crossref · 10.1016/s1364-6613(03)00035-4

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24 of 24 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • The most distinctive cognitive capacities expressed by humans are the ability to use symbolic language in a recursive manner and to make inferences regarding the mental states of others (theory of mind).

    “Arguably, the most distinctive cognitive capacities expressed by humans are the ability to use symbolic language in a recursive manner (17) and to make inferences regarding the mental states of others, i.e., “theory of mind” (18).”

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Authors
Tomasello, M., Call, J., & Hare, B.
Affiliations
Max Planck Society (DE)
Corresponding author
Tomasello, Michael
Venue
Trends in Cognitive Sciences
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2003-04
Volume
7
Issue
4
Pages
153-156
ISSN
1364-6613 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W1984242163
Cited by
573
References
24
Citations by year
2026: 30 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 34 · 2023: 35 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 17 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 19 · 2016: 34 · 2015: 23 · 2014: 19 · 2013: 29 · 2012: 36
FWCI
4.16
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Trends in Cognitive Sciences (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (submittedVersion)
  • MPG.PuRe (Max Planck Society) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Primate Behavior and Ecology
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Child and Animal Learning Development
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Face Recognition and Perception
Keywords
chimpanzees, theory of mind, social cognition, goal-directed behavior, visual perspective taking, competitive environment, primate cognition, human-animal comparison

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