As you all know, I am no big fan of monkeys. However, this is a pretty interesting article on the research being done by a Yale economist testing the economic behavior of a group of Capuchin monkeys.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Monkey Business
As you all know, I am no big fan of monkeys. However, this is a pretty interesting article on the research being done by a Yale economist testing the economic behavior of a group of Capuchin monkeys.
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41 comments:
Are we supposed to give an opinion based on our belief in Creationism or Evolution? Or is this about us being excited by primates behaving like humans?
Maybe it just shows that all these economists are not all that smart, they just simply use common sense.
Yes we all know that monkey's are intelligent, but what was the point of the article. Monkey's that are faced with a situation will figure it out. They just simply figured out how to buy food. I totally agree with Micah!
monkey= human intelligence pretty much we know they are smart so why do we keep doing tests that prove it and then act shocked...... stupid "research"
Well I think we have proven the point continuously that you can teach a monkey anything...
When would monkeys ever need to spend money on anything? If another monkey has something they want, they throw poop at them.
People at Yale are stupid.
Congrats, you've disposed some funding to teach a monkey how to barter. It's a great accomplishment (I think) but what does it really do for anything? I for one, don't really know if I think it's a good idea or not. What could possibly be the use of this? Introducing monkeys into the world to help the economy out of the current recession? I don't think so. They'd find that one jerk and who knows what New York would look like after they were done with it. Either way, I think it's pretty cool that they proved monkeys were smart (again) and stuff but I'm pretty sure Yale has some other things they could be working on that are more important.
Didn't really see the point of that article except to reinforce an idea that everyone knows/should know: that humans really did evolve from monkeys because certain ones like ''The capuchin [have] small brain[s], and [are] pretty much focused on food and sex,''....like humans.
In regard to the monkey money spending, who cares? Monkeys with money? come on.
damn dirty apes!
I think the experiment shows that humans are just like the animals. Children see money as paper with people on them but as we grow up we are taught that these bills and coins have value. You eventually learn the difference between your fake cash register with Monoply money and the real money in your parents wallets.
see pye, you should like monkeys; after all you did evolve from one :)
Humans relate to monkeys? You have GOT to be kidding me. This I think is just a way to prove Evolution more than anything. Monkey's with money? Uh. I think not. This MUST be a joke. lol.
I think that this experiment was pretty much pointless. Considering the fact that we continuously test monkeys and they alwasys seem to meet the standards. We should know by know monkeys are smart and can most likely figure out any situation when they are faced with one
umm yea monkeys are smart but i dont think that they'll ever actually spend money and well i dont know monkeys are monkeys....
This makes me want to go camping and roast marshmellows. :] I'm not sure this Harvard, Yale, whatever grad was at the top of his class.. I don't think this article shows us much more than what we already know about economics.
what is all this monkey business?! the experiment didn't exactly enlighten anybody, only reinforce basic scientific ideas about monkeys and primate behavior. This is not biology! monkeys with money is like dmitriy with money: one in the same!
I'm not surprised. Monkeys bartering with one another is quite an interesting observation. Their human-like qualities and their somewhat civil nature definitely should put monkeys near the top of the food chain. However, until monkeys participate successfully in the actual economic world and benefit business I will continue on with my apethetic view of "monkey business".
I thought it was interesting that once one monkey realized the other was a pushover who would keep pulling the lever no matter what, their rate of pulling their own lever dropped to 30 percent, lower than the original rate of pulling. It reminds me how people will take advantage of others when they know they'll get away with. Humans are basically monkeys with less hair. Truth!
It's a pretty interesting article, but it wasn't enlightening. The monkeys are being conditioned, yes it is easier with them because of their more developed brain, but we all knew that already. The ivy league people need to come up with ORIGINAL data, and stop proving what we already know.
Although highly interesting, whether this research is worth the time, grants, and work is questionable. How is this research applicable?
This article is basically about a behavioral psychology experiment that has little to do with economics. Also, encouraging monkey prostitution is never a good idea.
Honestly the sgovernment has wasted millions apon millions of the taxes payers dollars on stupid research like the one above when no matter what the outcome is the information is useless.
Why dont they do something more important in the public's opinion.
Humans evolved from monkeys?....pfft total crap, similarities yes but not evolution.
Monkey see Monkey do
Monkeys= unevolved humans.I say we do the same to babies. The babies will learn that everything has a price early i life. Is there any law saying monkeys cant work? Then lets put them to work I see a new labor to use and abuse.
Monkey Prostitution?!?! What has this world come to?
But just like everyone else said "monkey's are smart" and we couldn't expect any less from them. But I wouldn't quite say that they understood the concept of economics, they're just acting through the new behaviour they learned.
Wow, it's disappointing that they are still doing research to prove the intelligence of monkeys. Alright, we get it, they are smart. All they are doing now is waisting time and money on a topic that is no longer cared about.
"The capuchin [have] small brain[s], and [are] pretty much focused on food and sex"
...Was that really a needed comment in the article?
Even though that monkeys are the very smart, but still not as smart as human. I don't think this is a good idea to testing the evonomic behavior of the monkeys. This research worthless.
There is a reason we humans EVOLVED from these silly ol' primates. When is a monkey going to show up at HEB for some bananas? Or go shopping for an Hermes bag? The answer is neverrrr.
I think the article was intersting and a little wierd. Some say this is another form of evidence that we "evolved" from monkeys, but I am not so sure. The monkeys show a great amount of human-like characteristics, and the idea of monkeys manipulating one another seems intersting!
aha... though monkeys have proven to be very intelligent creatures, capable of learning what is taught quite quickly, I really don't think it would be the best choice to hand them money!that seems really absurd and...really pointless
Well i can't beleive i read a comment on selfish and over zelous monkeys. well im glad the other monkeys at least cast out the selfish monkey. Thats equal to humans executing people. And as we all know Texas is all about that.
"Don't mess with Texas!"
This experiment was useless. We should know by know that monkeys are intelligent and can face any test that they are given
yes, monkeys are proven to have similiar human characteristics but i don't think they are developed enough to start spending money!
They have done all kinds of crazy studies with monkeys to see how they will interpret and react to situations. Capuchins especially are noted for their intelligence and adaptability. I'm not surprised that they figured out the marshmallow lever. Rats can figure out that pushing a button will give them food and that stepping on certain surfaces will deliver a shock. Animals can easily learn by association...so i don't know if I would call this "economic behavior"...But either way, monkeys are cool. :-D
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definitely proof of evolution right there..
you work with something long enough it'll eventually do what you want it to do
-tiffany
Interesting, but inconsequential. What I want to see are gorillas doing this. Some can already use sign language to communicate, now what if they went around saying exactly what they wanted, what if they got a job? It could happen and it would raise a whole new spectrum to animal rights as far as they are concerned.
I feel this research proves nothing except Darwin's evolutionary theory. I do find it funny and fascinating that a primate can learn the value of money and make itself its own commodity. Such as sex. Overall, prostitutes will one day use this in their case for legalizing prostitution. Monkeys did it, why should humans differ? we all have the same reason ability and heritage. just why not?
man school is over already
This article is a new one for me. people training monkeys to pay for food, just like a human would pay at the grocery store. It's pure genius. I think it is a great way in showing how monkeys relate to humans. Monkeys are probably the only living animal in relation to a human being. Humans "monkey around" all the time. Why can't monkeys act like humans?
i noticed that your previous class has very negative opinions of this article. Some thought monkey research was a waste of our time; others saw the article as a joke. The article and its underlying message can actually be really deep. If you truly believe in evolution, then observing our "forerunners" can provide a lot of incite on human behavior. Concepts such has altruism, sexual favors in exchange for money, and stealing can reflect greatly on how quickly humans resort back to our "baser" selves, despite our so called evolutionary enhanced brain to body ration. Monkeys have just proved to be a great deal smarter than we thought and humans a little less.
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