Trained motor imitation by bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)

Percept Mot Skills. 1994 Dec;79(3 Pt 1):1307-15. doi: 10.2466/pms.1994.79.3.1307.

Abstract

Each of two bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus, was trained to mimic a set of behaviors on command. They were tested on transfer of the mimic command to a set of familiar behaviors which they had not previously been commended to mimic. They were similarly tested on two novel behaviors. One dolphin demonstrated complete mimicry of 5 of 11 familiar behaviors; the other dolphin mimicked 1 of 9 behaviors. None of the mimicked behaviors was exhibited to an inappropriate model, suggesting that performance was not due to chance. Neither dolphin imitated the novel behaviors.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Dolphins / psychology*
  • Imitative Behavior*
  • Male
  • Mental Recall
  • Motor Skills*
  • Transfer, Psychology