Tickle me Nim. Do primates speak language?
- Dashboard
- Tickle me Nim. Do primates speak language?
Most Recent Score Report
| Questions Correct | Questions Answered | Time Spent | Status | Attempt Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Previous Score Reports
| Questions Correct | Questions Answered | Time Spent | Status | Attempt Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Tickle me Nim. Do primates speak language?
Array
(
[passage] => WP_Post Object
(
[ID] => 559670
[post_author] => 12815
[post_date] => 2024-12-28 11:16:55
[post_date_gmt] => 2024-12-28 16:16:55
[post_content] => Practice Passage (Question 1-5)
*This passage is the property of Khan Academy and has been reformatted into an AAMC-style interface in their entirety by MedLife Mastery. MedLife Mastery does not endorse and is not an affiliate of Khan Academy.
Interspecies communication could be a powerful means of studying the roots and evolution of human language. ALR (ape language research) has been instrumental in this pursuit. Apes are unable to produce spoken words (comparable to human speech) due to anatomical differences. Humans have a smaller tongue and the vocal cords are located lower in the vocal tract, giving humans a greater ability to modulate sounds.
In 1979, a paper was published on a male chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) named Neam Chimpsky (Nim). Nim was raised in a human environment and was communicated with through ASL from the age of 2 weeks. He was taught ASL with a strategy of observation and hand modeling. When the correct sign was given, Nim was rewarded with either the requested object, action, or some other reward. Unlike previous ALR studies, multi-sign combinations such as more tickle and tickle more were reported as more tickle, since they contained the same information and order did not increase the amount of information contained.
When Nim’s multi-sign combinations were compared to children’s utterances at similar ages, the MLU (mean length of utterance) was similar at 26 months, but Nim’s MLU did not increase, while the children’s MLU continued to increase. Nim displays word ordering rules concurrent with those exhibited by a two-and-a half-year-old child, but is unable to create sentences with the complexity of a typical developmentally normal four-year-old. Table 1 contains Nim’s most frequent two, three, and four word combinations. Since Nim, ALR has continued to refine data collection and explore different methodologies. Some of the most promising work has been completed with a bonobo chimpanzee (Pan paniscus) named Kanzi.
Table 1: A listing of the most frequent sign combinations used by Nim. FQ = Frequency of utterances out of more than 2700 combinations.
[post_title] => Tickle me Nim. Do primates speak language?
[post_excerpt] =>
[post_status] => publish
[comment_status] => closed
[ping_status] => closed
[post_password] =>
[post_name] => tickle-me-nim-do-primates-speak-language
[to_ping] =>
[pinged] =>
[post_modified] => 2024-12-28 11:18:45
[post_modified_gmt] => 2024-12-28 16:18:45
[post_content_filtered] =>
[post_parent] => 0
[guid] => https://medlifemastery.com/?post_type=passage&p=559670
[menu_order] => 0
[post_type] => passage
[post_mime_type] =>
[comment_count] => 0
[filter] => raw
)
[questions] => Array
(
[0] => Array
(
[quiz_unique_key] => 578908434
[question] => What type of conditioning was used on Nim to teach language?
[value] => Array
(
[answer] => 3
[description] => Reason for the Correct Answer:
Positive punishment attempts to reduce the frequency of a behavior through the introduction of an aversive stimulus.
Aversive conditioning occurs when an aversive behavior is elicited when paired with a neutral stimulus.
Observational learning and hand modeling were used by Terrace and his associates to teach Nim ASL.
)
[answers] => Array
(
[0] => Array
(
[each_answer] => A. Positive punishment
)
[1] => Array
(
[each_answer] => B. Aversive conditioning
)
[2] => Array
(
[each_answer] => C. Observation and hand modeling
)
[3] => Array
(
[each_answer] => D. Classical conditioning
)
)
)
[1] => Array
(
[quiz_unique_key] => 3873426850
[question] => How would Vygotsky’s concept of the zone of proximal development relate to Nim’s language development?
[value] => Array
(
[answer] => 1
[description] => Reason for the Correct Answer:
Reinforcement through rewards is associated with learning theory and B.F. Skinner.
Chomsky believed that only humans have a LAD or language acquisition device.
The natural abilities of apes are supported by the more knowledgeable other to move them to a higher developmental zone.
)
[answers] => Array
(
[0] => Array
(
[each_answer] => A. The natural abilities of apes are supported by the more knowledgeable other to move them to a higher developmental zone.
)
[1] => Array
(
[each_answer] => B. The language acquisition device operated only during the first few years of Nim’s life.
)
[2] => Array
(
[each_answer] => C. Nim’s MLU was concurrent with that of a normal 4-year-old.
)
[3] => Array
(
[each_answer] => D. Nim’s language learning was reinforced through rewards.
)
)
)
[2] => Array
(
[quiz_unique_key] => 83407773
[question] => What is the main anatomical difference between humans and apes that makes speech difficult, if not impossible for apes?
[value] => Array
(
[answer] => 1
[description] => Reason for the Correct Answer:
Humans and apes have very similar language production centers in the brain.
Apes have vocal cords located higher in the vocal tract.
Humans have a smaller tongue and the vocal cords are located lower in the vocal tract.
)
[answers] => Array
(
[0] => Array
(
[each_answer] => A. Humans have a smaller tongue and the vocal cords are located lower in the vocal tract.
)
[1] => Array
(
[each_answer] => B. Apes lack the specific brain structures responsible for speech production.
)
[2] => Array
(
[each_answer] => C. Humans have a larger tongue and vocal cords located higher in the vocal tract.
)
[3] => Array
(
[each_answer] => D. Apes lack the specific brain structures responsible for speech understanding.
)
)
)
[3] => Array
(
[quiz_unique_key] => 2261298308
[question] => What is a possible confound to Terrace et al?
[value] => Array
(
[answer] => 3
[description] => Reason for the Correct Answer:
Nim was taught ASL from 2 weeks of age.
All the interactions with the trainers were taped and reviewed by native ASL signers.
The researchers gave Nim semantic cues to what he was supposed to communicate.
)
[answers] => Array
(
[0] => Array
(
[each_answer] => A. Nim was an adult before his training in ASL started.
)
[1] => Array
(
[each_answer] => B. Nim was not actually producing sign language.
)
[2] => Array
(
[each_answer] => C. The researchers gave Nim semantic cues to what he was supposed to communicate.
)
[3] => Array
(
[each_answer] => D. The researchers allowed for too much variation in the signs accepted.
)
)
)
[4] => Array
(
[quiz_unique_key] => 574431310
[question] => How would Noam Chomsky interpret the data shown in Table 1?
[value] => Array
(
[answer] => 3
[description] => Reason for the Correct Answer:
Vygotsky believed that language was determined by the interaction of both biological and social influences.
Behaviorists such as B.F. Skinner believes that language is learned through reinforcement and approximation.
Noam Chomsky did not believe that apes had the capacity to create language.
Nim is not creating new meaning with longer phrases and the word constructions used lack syntax.
)
[answers] => Array
(
[0] => Array
(
[each_answer] => A. Nim has produced meaning, but not language. Other apes have demonstrated language capabilities, however.
)
[1] => Array
(
[each_answer] => B. Nim has learned language through the teaching of Terrace and the other researchers.
)
[2] => Array
(
[each_answer] => C. Nim is not creating new meaning with longer phrases and the word constructions used lack syntax.
)
[3] => Array
(
[each_answer] => D. Nim has developed language that fits his biological and social needs.
)
)
)
)
[total_question] => 5
[correct_answers] => Array
(
[559670|1] => C
[559670|2] => A
[559670|3] => A
[559670|4] => C
[559670|5] => C
)
[hide_display_feedback_settings] =>
[hide_solutions] =>
)
