ShuiEro ... from vague up to sometimes ;) crystal clear drop by drop ...

The majority of comparative cognition has focused on establishing what the cognitive capacities of different species are, rather than how animals acquire and structure information, specifically through exploration. We believe exploration is not random, but rather that it is structured, selective, and sensitive to categorical features of the environment. Here we exploited the neophilic tendencies and distinctive sensorimotor apparatus of parrots and human children by designing a series of comparative experiments. Main conclusion: We measured the interaction between parrot visual fields and their bill tip organ to understand a sensory basis for exploration. We then linked this to increasingly complex behavioural tasks involving different novel objects and physical problems, to examine in detail the exploration process in different contexts. Although from quite different ecological niches, we argue kakariki (Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae) and children (age 4-7) have common strategies. For instance, we found both explore more with functional changes in an object (e.g. weight), than with non-functional changes (e.g. colour). They also focus on certain object properties (e.g. corners or moveable parts) more than others (e.g. smooth surfaces or rigid features), which provide clues about objects' affordances.

The kakariki model: comparing exploratory learning strategies in parrots and children (PDF Download Available). Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/266159106_The_kakariki_model_co... [accessed Sep 26, 2017].