Fish Can Use Numbers
Author Information
Author(s): Christian Agrillo, Marco Dadda, Giovanna Serena, Angelo Bisazza
Primary Institution: Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
Hypothesis
Can mosquitofish learn to discriminate between two and three objects without relying on non-numerical information?
Conclusion
Mosquitofish can learn to discriminate small quantities, even when non-numerical indicators of quantity are unavailable.
Supporting Evidence
- Fish were able to discriminate between two and three objects even when non-numerical cues were controlled.
- The study provides the first evidence that fish can use numbers similarly to primates.
- Fish did not make more errors when non-numerical information was excluded.
Takeaway
Mosquitofish can tell the difference between two and three things, even when they can't see other clues like size or brightness.
Methodology
The study involved training mosquitofish to discriminate between two and three objects while controlling for non-numerical variables.
Limitations
The study only tested discrimination between two specific quantities (2 vs 3).
Participant Demographics
Ten female mosquitofish were used in the first experiment, and fourteen in the second.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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