Animal Minds - Research Proposal Example

? Animal Minds - how they think and communicate Task: Animal Minds - how they think and communicate Several persons imagine the thoughts of animals. Some people think that animals have sensations like the humans while others assume that those animals do not think. Human beings are unique from other animals because they use languages. Even though animals do not have language capabilities like the human beings, they still think and communicate. Background All creatures have their unique approaches of communication. Even though different species cannot comprehend the communication systems of other creatures, similar species can understand each other. Some scientists have argued that man is the only creature who can think and communicate. They have influenced other people to think the same way. Consequently, some people mistreat animals because of their perceived inability to think. Other researchers have disapproved this through various studies indicating that animals can think like human beings. However, their thinking abilities are not as complex as the humans’ thinking abilities are. Particularly, animals can communicate through sounds, smell, and different signals. Additionally, they can think since they have the capacity to remember things, detect danger, and act in certain ways to satisfy their needs (Johansson, 2001). Purpose of the study To prove that animals can think and communicate To explain show how the animals think To explain show how the animals communicate Hypothesis The chimpanzees will remember the specific banana times The chimpanzees will communicate through sounds and gestures Literature review Language is a form of communication, however; it is not the only way both human beings and animals communicate. Every social animal has its unique way of communication. Some animals like birds and whales communicate through songs. The songs are usually conveyed traditionally, and are common among the animals. Some birds have natural ways of acquiring the song devices. Just like the human beings, birds have to learn how to communicate through songs by hearing other birds sing as they grow. Whale songs are also conveyed culturally. Some researchers believe that the whale songs are similar to the hierarchical grammar. Dolphins also communicate using the sounds that have many language features (Rogers, 2007). According to study outcomes, animal have sensation like humans. This is because several sounds produced articulate their different emotions. For instance, some produce the sounds when they are happy, or when they are hungry. Furthermore, some animals also use alarm calls that have different meanings symbolically. For instance, the researcher discovered that some monkeys use various types of alarm sound when they perceive the presences of different enemies such as snakes and leopards. When the monkeys hear the alarm sounds from one of them, they react differently towards each type of the alarm sounds. For instance, when they hear the eagle alarm call, they usually hide in bushes. However, they climb treetops in reaction to the leopard calls. The newborn velvet monkeys also learn the alarm calls and their meanings as they grow (Rogers, 2007). Wynne (2004) discovered that some animals that do not produce sounds, also communicate through smell. They do this by producing smelly chemicals that pass messages to other animals. They mostly use the chemicals to display their social behaviors. The animals that mostly communicate this way encompass, insects and wolves. Additionally, animals communicate through body movements. For instance, bees dance to tell other bees that they have found nectars. The bees dance inside their hives and these dances also tell other bees the directions of the nectars. Chimpanzees also touch each other’s hands as a sign of greetings. This is very much closer to the humans’ way of communication (Wynne, 2004). Study outcomes reveal that animals use visual signals to attract their mates or warning others of dangers. Animals also use sounds whenever they want to pass messages immediately to the animals that are far. The animals can also lie especially to other animal species to protect themselves. When the animals communicate to their enemies, some of them puff themselves to look bigger while others pretend they are dead to fool their enemies (Wynne, 2004). Some researchers have also discovered that animals can think. This is because their intelligence enables them to comprehend new situations, make judgments, and plans. The researchers studied the thinking abilities of baboons in the zoo. They gave the baboons the tool they would used to get food. The researchers kept moving the baboons from one place to other. Each time they moved the baboons, they realized that they humans were moving them. Consequently, they carried their tools with them so that they would use them to get food in their new places. This implies that animals can think by remembering and planning like humans. The researchers also discovered that dolphins and elephants could distinguish their images in mirrors. Additionally, they discovered that counting ability is also not exclusively humans. This is because they discovered that bears and birds could put more dots after the fewer number of dots (Borenstein, 2012). The thinking abilities of animals are proved through their abilities to control their emotions. One can observe this when the animals display empathy. For instance, studies show that chimpanzees can comfort or fight each other. Additionally, they also soothe other Chimps whenever they are angry by grooming them or placing arms around them (Borenstein, 2012). According to Griffin (2001), animals think because they understand appropriate actions and choose the ones they believe will make them get what they need, while avoiding what can cause them harm. This shows that animals have conscience like humans. However, they have less developed self-awareness compared to humans. Consciousness is the awareness of things and events. Human beings are aware of things and events because they think. This implies that animals also think because they acknowledge events such as danger (Griffin 2001). Methods The researcher will gather information through direct observation. Observation is the most effective data collection methods in this research. This is because one can study the animals in their normal settings. Consequently, one can achieve a higher comprehension of the subject. Additionally, this method enables one to disclose situations and problems that informants are unable to explain. The participant of the study will only be the researcher. In the direct observation method, the researchers need to select the most effective places to carry out the observation. In this study, the most effective places will be two Zoos where one will study the behaviors of chimpanzees in the zoos as far as animal communication and thinking is concerned. The dependable variables of the observation are the ways of communication and thinking of the chimpanzees. The independent variables will be the different Zoos. The researchers will then have to develop the forms that will contain a list of things to be studied. This will allow the investigator to document his or her observations. After the development of the forms, one will choose the most appropriate time to conduct the observation. The best time for this study is between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. everyday for two weeks. After setting the appropriate time, the researcher should be ready to conduct the observation. Memory test The memory of the chimpanzees will be conducted using a memory test, which will also give an insight of their consciousness. In the memory test, the monkeys will be given bananas at specific times daily for about one week. The bananas will always be put in a basket at a specific corner. After one week, the researcher will not put bananas in the basket, but he will observe the monkeys behaviors. If the monkey checks the baskets at the specific banana times, this indicates that the monkeys have memories because they remembered the specific banana times. This will also indicate their consciousness since it implies that they are aware of events. Anticipated outcomes If one conducts the study effectively, the outcomes will reveal that Chimpanzees have memories and can plan the future like the human being. Other expected results are that the animals can communicate through sounds and signs Discussion This study is vital because it will support other researcher’s claims that animals can think and communicate. This study will also prove that animals have consciousness like human beings. A restriction of the investigation is the short time set to carry out the observation. An additional limitation is the method of data compilation because it enhances biases. This is because the researchers can judge some actions based on his or her attitude. Conclusion Animals can think and communicate like human beings. However, methods of communication are different from human beings. For instance, they do not have languages, but they can communicate through different sounds and signs. Animals can also think because they have consciousness and can remember things. However, their ways of thinking is less advanced compared to human beings. References Borenstein, S. (2012). What were they thinking? Studies reveal animal intellect. Retrieved from: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47940997/ns/technology_and_science-science/t/what- were-they-thinking-studies-reveal-animal-intellect/#.ULb8ye-zXMw Griffin, D. R. (2001). Animal minds: Beyond cognition to consciousness. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Johansson, S. (2001). Animal communication, animal minds, and animal language. Retrieved from: http://eugen.leitl.org/striz/striz.org/docs/animal-language.pdf Rogers, L. J. (1997). Minds of their own: Thinking and awareness in animals. St. Leonards, N.S.W: Allen & Unwin. Wynne, C. D. L. (2004). Do animals think?. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. Read More