Science a GoGo's Home Page Forums General Discussion General Science Discussion Forum Parrot Understands Concept of Zero?

(I haven't researched this, I just clipped it from a series of articles I was browsing through. Seemed like the real deal to me. j6)


An African gray parrot named Alex may have shown that the species is capable of understanding the concept of "zero." The bird, began using the word "none" when presented with an absence of objects during come numerical tests. Alex was taught that "none" means "lack of information" several years ago. Though zero and none are not identical, it seem like that parrot has expanded the defination to include the numerical concept. If further tests show that the parrot really understands arithmetical zero, he will be the first non-primate to grasp the concept, and the first animal to do so without training.

I could easily believe this. But I'd need to understand more of the details of the experiments they used to determine this.

I'm a dog person. Ever since I can remember I was raised around dogs. When I was 15 my family moved from AK to KY (driving down the ALCAN Hwy). We stopped at my grandparents' house in OH for some time. Anyway, I don't get along with all of my relatives, so I used the time to train my mom's poodle. I had some experience training a number of different breeds, but none with a poodle.

I was startled. In two days I had trained her to do a very complicated obstacle course in the bedroom, one part of which consisted of going around the leg of a chair exactly three times. She could do this even without me in the room - so it possible she was getting cues from someone, but I don't think it's likely.

Anyway, I'm sorta convinced at this point that some dogs can count. These counters may not have the same depth of understanding of the concept of number that humans have, but I'm pretty sure they (at least some of them) have an elementary concept of it.

I also did a very limited bit of training for rats - but I don't recall anything that indicated an understanding of number. OTOH, I wasn't trying to train for it, either.

I wouldn't be too surprised if all the higher mammals had some members with a primitive concept of number.

The research you're referring to is that of Dr. Irene Pepperberg. Her research, which is often met with skepticism, is exquisitely thorough and her conclusions are completely sound. I had an opportunity to meet her about 10-15 years ago, while I was in grad school, and I have to say that I was blown away. It's wonderful stuff. Here are some links about Dr. Pepperberg and her work.
http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/pepperberg03/pepperberg_index.html
http://www.alexfoundation.org/

And here's a brief review of her recent book:
http://www.2think.org/parrots.shtml

Thanks Finchbeak, good links.