| Abstract: | Investigated, in 2 experiments conducted over a 7-yr period using 2 male chimpanzees, whether the gestural-referential complex can be developed. In Exp I, a test was designed to determine whether Ss could produce accurate requests for things they could not see and whether, as they produced these requests, they had an idea of the specific absent objects that corresponded to their symbolically encoded requests. In Exp II, a test was devised to eliminate all potential means of cuing and order strategies that might result in the S's selecting a symbol and giving the appropriate object without anticipating and planning the complete sequence in advance. Results demonstrate that the gestural-referential complex can be developed, with training, in the chimpanzee and that, consequently, naming with reference does appear. A review of the training that preceded the emergence of referential function in these chimpanzees suggests that symbolization is not a unitary skill but rather a combination of diverse productive and receptive skills. (57 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
