| Abstract: | In 2 experiments classification of synthetic versions of species-typical snake and eagle alarm calls by vervet monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops) and human (Homo sapiens) control Ss was investigated. In a 2-choice, operant-conditioning-based procedure, this work followed up acoustic analyses that had used various digitally based algorithms (M. J. Owren and R. H. Bernacki; see record 1989-10972-001). All Ss were first tested with alarm-call replicas that were based on analysis data. These models were classified in the same manner as natural stimuli, which verified the appropriateness of the acoustic charcterizations. Synthetic stimuli were then presented to test the importance of specific acoustic cues. Spectral patterning was found to be the most salient cue for classification by the monkeys, whereas results from the human Ss were mixed. Implications for the study of nonhuman primate vocalizations and P. Lieberman's (1984) theory of speech evolution are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
