Metacognition in monkeys during an oculomotor task
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This study investigated whether rhesus monkeys show evidence of metacognition in a reduced, visual oculomotor task that is particularly suitable for use in fMRI and electrophysiology. The 2-stage task involved punctate visual stimulation and saccadic eye movement responses. In each trial, monkeys made a decision and then made a bet. To earn maximum reward, they had to monitor their decision and use that information to bet advantageously. Two monkeys learned to base their bets on their decisions within a few weeks. We implemented an operational definition of metacognitive behavior that relied on trial-by-trial analyses and signal detection theory. Both monkeys exhibited metacognition according to these quantitative criteria. Neither external visual cues nor potential reaction time cues explained the betting behavior; the animals seemed to rely exclusively on internal traces of their decisions. We documented the learning process of one monkey. During a 10-session transition phase, betting switched from random to a decision-based strategy. The results reinforce previous findings of metacognitive ability in monkeys and may facilitate the neurophysiological investigation of metacognitive functions.
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Several studies have established the presence of metacognitive sensitivity in some non-human animals.
“Several studies have established the presence of metacognitive sensitivity in some non-human animals (Hampton, 2001; Kornell et al., 2007; Middlebrooks and Sommer, 2011; Kepecs and Mainen, 2012).”
From How to measure metacognition (2014) · cites this paper as Middlebrooks and Sommer, 2011
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- Authors
- Middlebrooks, P. G., & Sommer, M. A.
- Affiliations
- University of Pittsburgh (US)
- ORCID
- Sommer, Marc A.
- Venue
- Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition
- Published
- 2011
- Volume
- 37
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 325-337
- ISSN
- 0278-7393 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-1285
- PMC
- PMC3649877
- OpenAlex
- W1977729048
- Cited by
- 51
- References
- 4
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 8
- FWCI
- 2.13
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Journal of Experimental Psychology Learning Memory and Cognition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- DukeSpace (Duke University) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Funders
- National Institute of Mental Health (F31 MH087094)
- National Eye Institute (Ey017592)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Visual perception and processing mechanisms
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
- Keywords
- metacognition, rhesus monkeys, saccades, signal detection theory, oculomotor tasks, nonhuman primate cognition
- MeSH terms
- Analysis of Variance, Animals, Attention, Behavior, Animal, Brain, Cognition, Conditioning, Operant, Decision Making, Macaca mulatta, Photic Stimulation, Reaction Time, Saccades, Statistics as Topic, Time Factors, Signal Detection, Psychological
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