Chaser learns 1000 words
Chaser, a Border Collie, has been shown to have learned the names of 1022 objects. The researchers working with Chaser showed that she not only remembered the names of the objects but was able to understand certain aspects of language.
John Pilley – a master animal trainer – was getting a new puppy in 2004, just as a German study was released on Rico, a dog who learned the names of 200 objects. Pilley decided to find the limits of dog intelligence, and began language training with Chaser when she was five months old. Chaser's training continued for three years under psychologists Alliston Reid and John Pilley.
Not only was Chaser able to learn the names of 1022 objects, but she also learned to differentiate between proper and common nouns, and to distinguish between nouns and commands.
A summary of the studies findings stated that:
- Chaser learned the names of 1022 toys
- Demonstrated independence of meaning of names and commands
- Learned that common nouns represent categories
- Learned words by inferential reasoning of exclusion
- Demonstrated referential understanding of nouns
About the author
Rakuen Growlithe — read stories — contact (login required)a scientist and Growlithe from South Africa, interested in science, writing, pokemon and gaming
I'm a South African fur, originally from Cape Town. I'm interested in science, writing, gaming, all sorts of furry stuff, Pokemon and some naughtier things too! I've dabbled in art before but prefer writing. You can find my fiction on SoFurry and non-fiction on Flayrah.
Comments
Sure, it seems wonderful for all the "scientists" out there, but all I can say is... poor doggie...
o.0 The dog gets a home, over a thousand toys and people giving her attention every day. She's not kept in a cage and poked with sticks.
"If all mankind minus one, were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person, than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind."
~John Stuart Mill~
If this is animal torture, I would think that the human education system is a mass violation of Geneva Convention by comparison.
Nothing unethical here going on as you seem to imply. Certainly not torture. Therefore, there's no need for the scare quotes around the word scientist.
Also, it should be noted that not every animal subject will respond this well to such teaching. Most dogs do well to get up to a couple hundred words in their vocabulary. (Our chihuahua/dachshund mix only seems to understand a few dozen words, but we're not very strict with him.)
There was a lot of work done with African Gray parrots -- look up ALEX (an acronym for Avian Language EXperiment). Much of the work was done at University of Arizona.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_(parrot)
... and some idiots still call us/them "dumb" animals. HA! Stick that in your pipe and smoke it Freud!
We can never overcome that which we never attempt to defeat. Power to the furries!
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