The DOI matches its Crossref record; 17 of the 17 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Apes Save Tools for Future Use
Abstract
Planning for future needs, not just current ones, is one of the most formidable human cognitive achievements. Whether this skill is a uniquely human adaptation is a controversial issue. In a study we conducted, bonobos and orangutans selected, transported, and saved appropriate tools above baseline levels to use them 1 hour later (experiment 1). Experiment 2 extended these results to a 14-hour delay between collecting and using the tools. Experiment 3 showed that seeing the apparatus during tool selection was not necessary to succeed. These findings suggest that the precursor skills for planning for the future evolved in great apes before 14 million years ago, when all extant great ape species shared a common ancestor.
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In the citing paper
“In similar experiments, apes also appear to plan for future possibilities by choosing and retaining appropriate tools for future use [167,168].”
From Is episodic-like memory like episodic memory? (2024) · cites this paper as [167]
In the citing paper
“recent experimental studies have shown evidence for planning in chimpanzees, bonobos and orangutans”
From Keeping track of time: evidence for episodic-like memory in great apes (2010) · cites this paper as Mulcahy and Call 2006
In the citing paper
“It has also been argued that episodic memory and future planning depend on common processes”
From Keeping track of time: evidence for episodic-like memory in great apes (2010) · cites this paper as Mulcahy and Call 2006
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Metadata
- Authors
- Mulcahy, N. J., & Call, J.
- Affiliations
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Call, Josep
- Venue
- Science
- Published
- 2006-05-19
- Volume
- 312
- Issue
- 5776
- Pages
- 1038-1040
- ISSN
- 0036-8075 (ISSN-L)
- 1095-9203
- OpenAlex
- W2033421187
- Cited by
- 578
- References
- 16
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 27 · 2024: 20 · 2023: 20 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 25 · 2020: 37 · 2019: 70 · 2018: 29 · 2017: 25 · 2016: 29 · 2015: 23 · 2014: 26 · 2013: 25 · 2012: 35
- FWCI
- 38.30
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (submittedVersion)
- MPG.PuRe (Max Planck Society) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Child and Animal Learning Development
- Social Sciences › Anthropology › Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology
- Keywords
- tool use, future planning, tool selection, bonobos, orangutans, great apes, cognitive evolution, human evolution, delay of gratification, common ancestor
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Association Learning, Pan troglodytes, Cognition, Biological Evolution, Mental Processes, Pongo pygmaeus, Pan paniscus
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