The Mind of An Ape - Spontaneous Productions

Spontaneous Productions

Not all individuals in a given species have equivalent capabilities to produce spontaneous communications. Washoe, spontaneously signed, in contrast to Nim. However, Kanzi, at age 30 months demonstrated spontaneous production of gestures and keyboard presses to ask for desired objects or events, and to name items in response to queries from the trainer. Kanzi had not been trained in producing communications. Apparently he learned this while playing in the training room while his adoptive mother Matata was being trained to use gestures and keyboard presses ("Lexigrams"). The spontaneous productions by Kanzi occurred in the absence of Matata. Kanzi can currently produce 400 words and recognize 500.