Evaluation of Chimpanzee Language Experiments of R.A.Gardner and B.T.Gardner,Terrace,and Rumbaugh and Savage-Rumbaugh  

作　　者：DU Yiran 

机构地区：[1]University of Liverpool,Liverpool,the United Kingdom

出　　处：《Psychology Research》2022年第5期284-288,共5页心理学研究：英文版

摘　　要：Can we teach a chimpanzee a language?Different researchers have different opinions.R.A.Gardner and B.T.Gardner,Terrace,and Rumbaugh and Savage-Rumbaugh raised chimpanzees Washoe,NeamChimsky(Nim),and Lana respectively and tried to teach a language to them.R.A.Gardner and B.T.Gardner’s study is well designed by choosing and teaching Washoe America Sign Language(ASL).However,ASL is only used in a small number of people;therefore,even the chimp can master it,the result is not representative enough to include all major human languages.Also,using limitation as a training method is successful and a surprising result is obtained:Washoe was claimed to perform delayed imitation.One result claimed by R.A.Gardner and B.T.Gardner is that Washoe showed motive for communication,which is not convincing.However,other results of Washoe’s abilities of“vocabulary”,“differentiation”,and“transfer”seem convincing because they could be explained by its understanding that the sign can represent meanings.The methodology of Terrace’s study seems more rigorous.The aim of his study is to explore whether apes can create sentences by analysing Nim’s combinations of signs and their differences with that of children.The analysis of results of sign combinations is not convincing.However,what is convincing is that the results show huge differences between Nim’s and children’s utterances.In terms of methodology,the training methods in Rumbaugh’s study seem to have no big difference from R.A.Gardner and B.T.Gardner’s and Terrace’s.In terms of the results,Lana was claimed to perform communication with companions.Another result of the experiment is that Lana was claimed to master the ability to use names.

关 键 词：CHIMPANZEE comparative psychology sign language 

分 类 号：H31[语言文字—英语]