To Bee or not to Bee, this is the Question … The Inborn Numerical Competence of Humans and Honeybees

Groß, H.

doi:10.4161/cib.16677

Cited by 7 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 14 publications

(13 reference statements)

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“…The fact that a range of very different behavioral assays has indicated the number 4 to be the upper limit of insect numerical competence, strongly suggests that this is a key cognitive constraint that requires detailed and rigorous study. The same limit was found when stimuli were encountered sequentially (Chittka and Geiger, 1995; Dacke and Srinivasan, 2008; Bar-Shai et al, 2011a,b) as well as simultaneously (Leppik, 1953; Gross et al, 2009; Gross, 2011). Other questions raised by the above studies that need to be properly investigated include an elucidation of the exact mechanism(s) by which insects discriminate between these small numbers, as well as the interactions, if any, of numerical discrimination with other cognitive capacities, such as a time sense.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 53%

Numerical Cognition in Bees and Other Insects

Pahl¹,

Si²,

Zhang³

2013

Front. Psychol.

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The ability to perceive the number of objects has been known to exist in vertebrates for a few decades, but recent behavioral investigations have demonstrated that several invertebrate species can also be placed on the continuum of numerical abilities shared with birds, mammals, and reptiles. In this review article, we present the main experimental studies that have examined the ability of insects to use numerical information. These studies have made use of a wide range of methodologies, and for this reason it is striking that a common finding is the inability of the tested animals to discriminate numerical quantities greater than four. Furthermore, the finding that bees can not only transfer learnt numerical discrimination to novel objects, but also to novel numerosities, is strongly suggestive of a true, albeit limited, ability to count. Later in the review, we evaluate the available evidence to narrow down the possible mechanisms that the animals might be using to solve the number-based experimental tasks presented to them. We conclude by suggesting avenues of further research that take into account variables such as the animals’ age and experience, as well as complementary cognitive systems such as attention and the time sense.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 53%

Numerical Cognition in Bees and Other Insects

Pahl¹,

Si²,

Zhang³

2013

Front. Psychol.

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“…The honeybee is the first invertebrate species where a numerical ability has been convincingly demonstrated, and the process by which it achieves numerical discrimination is most likely subitizing (Gross et al, 2009). The fact that its sense of number has a similar extent as the subitizing abilities reported for many vertebrate species, including human infants (Linnel and Fluck, 2001), hints toward a highly conserved mechanism; one quite separate from real counting (Gross, 2011). The results from this study indicate that numerosity is treated by the bees as one more primary visual feature of a scene, along with color, contrast, size, and speed (Burr and Ross, 2008; Gross et al, 2009).…”

Section: Number-based Decision Making In Honeybeesmentioning

confidence: 87%

Visually Guided Decision Making in Foraging Honeybees

Zhang¹,

Si²,

Pahl³

2012

Front. Neurosci.

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Honeybees can easily be trained to perform different types of discrimination tasks under controlled laboratory conditions. This review describes a range of experiments carried out with free-flying forager honeybees under such conditions. The research done over the past 30 or so years suggests that cognitive abilities (learning and perception) in insects are more intricate and flexible than was originally imagined. It has become apparent that honeybees are capable of a variety of visually guided tasks, involving decision making under challenging situations: this includes simultaneously making use of different sensory modalities, such as vision and olfaction, and learning to use abstract concepts such as “sameness” and “difference.” Many studies have shown that decision making in foraging honeybees is highly flexible. The trained animals learn how to solve a task, and do so with a high accuracy, but when they are presented with a new variation of the task, they apply the learnt rules from the earlier setup to the new situation, and solve the new task as well. Honeybees therefore not only feature a rich behavioral repertoire to choose from, but also make decisions most apt to the current situation. The experiments in this review give an insight into the environmental cues and cognitive resources that are probably highly significant for a forager bee that must continually make decisions regarding patches of resources to be exploited.

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Können Tiere zählen?

Groß

2012

Biologie in unserer Zeit

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Seit über 140 Jahren wissen wir bereits, dass der Mensch die angeborene Fähigkeit besitzt, nur bis zu vier Objekte korrekt zu erkennen, wenn das Zählen strikt verhindert wird. Auch viele Wirbeltiere sowie die Arbeiterinnen der Honigbiene, die wie alle Tiere natürlich unfähig sind zu zählen, können sich bis zu vier Objekte merken. Diese angeborene, Menschen und Tieren gemeinsame numerische Kompetenz regt zu interessanten Fragen zum Nutzen und zur Evolution dieser Fähigkeit an. Die “magische” Zahl Vier ist offensichtlich ein neurologisches, historisches und mythologisches Rätsel.

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To Bee or not to Bee, this is the Question … The Inborn Numerical Competence of Humans and Honeybees

Cited by 7 publications

References 14 publications

Numerical Cognition in Bees and Other Insects

Numerical Cognition in Bees and Other Insects

Visually Guided Decision Making in Foraging Honeybees

Können Tiere zählen?

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