Test of the mirror

The test of the mirror is a means of measuring the Conscience self developed by the American Gordon G. Gallup in the Années 1970.

In cognitive ethology , this test makes it possible to evaluate the self-awareness while making it possible to determine if a Animal is able to recognize its clean Reflet in a Miroir as being a Image of itself. It consists in surreptitiously placing on the head of the animal a mark coloured not producing a Odeur then at to observe if the animal reacts in a way indicating that it is conscious that the spot is placed on its own body. Such a behavior can take the form of a displacement or an inflection for better observing the mark or, in a way much more obvious, that of a groping of oneself with a hand to try to reach it all while making use of the mirror.

The animals which made a success of the test of the mirror are the Chimpanzé S, the bonobo S, the Orang-outan S, the Dauphin S, the elephant S ^,^, and the human S. In a way enough surprising, the Gorille S fail, even if one of them, of the name of Koko, made a success of it. It would be because the gorillas regard the visual contact the eyes in the eyes as an aggressive behavior and that they usually avoid looking at the ones the others opposite with face. The Enfant S are likely to make a success of the test from two, three or four years of age. The human Dog S and babies react to the mirror by expressing Peur or Curiosité but can also be unaware of it completely, him as the spot. The Oiseau X go until tackling their own reflections - except notable Pie S which, checking the similarity of their own movements with those of the projected image, end up realizing that it is not a question of another congeneric, but well of themselves.

There exist debates within the scientific community in connection with the interpretation and of the value of the results produced by the test. If it were largely used and advisedly for better including/understanding the Primate S, it is considered sometimes who it is reducing when one subjects to him of the animals which are useful themselves above all of other directions that the Vue, like the dogs of the Odorat for example.

See too

References

Random links: