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Mental self-monitoring

  • Keeping track of your own state of mind
  • Experiment on macaque monkeys*
  • Match to sample test

Examine for 5 seconds

*Study by psychologist Robert Hampton

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Delay

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TAKE & PASS

TAKE & FAIL

DON’T TAKE

+++

(oreo)

0

+

(grape)

Choose

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LEFT or RIGHT

WHICH IS THE MATCH?

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TAKE & PASS

TAKE & FAIL

DON’T TAKE

+++

oreo

0

-

grape

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  1. The longer the delay in human subjects, the more likely they will opt for “don’t take” (grape). This is because they self-monitor and know they are uncertain.
  2. Just as in humans, the longer the delay in the monkey subjects, the more likely they opt for “don’t take” (grape).
  3. This must be because they also self-monitor and know they are uncertain.

Therefore,

  1. Monkeys are capable of self-awareness.