Monkeys Show Regret And Disappointment Like Humans: Study

Time:

We humans tend to think of ourselves as the only sentient beings capable of regret, a key emotion that helps keep us from making the same mistakes over and over.

Now a new study shows that rhesus monkeys may be saddled with the same feelings of disappointment — at least when they lose at rock, paper, scissors.

Read the whole story: Time

Comments

[TYRANNASAURUS]

06:56 PM on 06/02/2011

I don't believe the audacity of some researchers.......... all animals think and feel but they do it their way. The brain was not made for thinking...it was made for storing information for survival sake...... but over many years even some people learn to think...but alas badly.... that's why their lives don't work as well as they'd like.

[GraphicMatt]

02:38 PM on 06/02/2011

The most regret was noticed amongst monkeys that voted for Rick Scott as governor of Florida

[LastStar]

12:42 PM on 06/02/2011

George is that you in the photo showing regret?

[SarcasticFringehead]

11:20 PM on 06/01/2011

Someone should hook up those Wall Street CEO's who tanked the economy and see if they are capable of feeling remorse like the monkeys do, or if their neural pathways of greed are just too strong to allow it.

[americanalien]

11:01 PM on 06/01/2011

How do they teach an animal to play rock, paper, scissors? Does the animal even understand what is going on?

[pkafin]

12:51 AM on 06/02/2011

Feed it when it wins. It's not that complicated.

[David Christensen]

10:34 PM on 06/01/2011

Me too. I am really bad at that game.

[joeljoey5160]

10:26 PM on 06/01/2011

Can they count cards?

[SouthOfProgress]

10:09 PM on 06/01/2011

Oh no Planet of the Apes is happening right before our eyes...
They have already surpassed Republicans!

[HereComesMegaCorp]

10:14 PM on 06/01/2011

Not yet... they have to become millionaires first.

[project cooper]

10:29 PM on 06/01/2011

Libs. praise them

[Tommygun265]

09:55 PM on 06/01/2011

If monkeys can have a conscience, perhaps there's hope for Paul Ryan and the rest of the pubs.

[project cooper]

10:31 PM on 06/01/2011

no, that's why their libs.

[Tommygun265]

08:08 AM on 06/02/2011

Paul Ryan is a "lib"?

In order to avoid embarrassment, before you post next time, you need to have a point, other than the one at the top of your head.

[PerfectTommy]

04:23 PM on 06/01/2011

You should have seen the look one of them gave me after he invested in my perpetual motion machine!

[personal beliefs]

03:01 PM on 06/01/2011

Who in the he\\ paid for this study and how much was spent?

[maxben]

03:56 PM on 06/01/2011

Somebody who cares to prove that animals do have complex cognitive processes we tend to associate with humanity?

[personal beliefs]

03:56 PM on 06/01/2011

and what does that do for humanity or the animals? Nothing more than a waste of money.

[gschear]

12:17 AM on 06/02/2011

anti intellectual dullard.

[Fnordpocalypse]

02:10 PM on 06/01/2011

Why is it so hard for people to understand that animals have feelings, emotions, and personality?

Any pet owner will tell you the same. Just watch what happens when you see a cat fall down, they walk away all embarrased.

We, as modern humans, are way too disconnected from the natural world. We are disconnected from where our food comes from and the natural cycles of out environment.

[GraphicMatt]

02:42 PM on 06/02/2011

My cat is never embarrased when he falls. He TOTALLY meant to do that on purpose. : )