Morgan BellLost Dog: Have You Checked The Mirror?
June 16th 2009 11:35
Charles Darwin once made observations about how animals react to seeing their own reflection in a mirror.
It was a test of self-awareness and self-recognition.
The "mirror test" has since been expanded on and scientists have discovered only nine animals (including humans) are able to recognise themselves when a mirror is held up in front of them.
All of the great apes (bonobos, chimpanzees, orangutans, gorillas, and humans) pass the test, however human babies only develop the skills to pass the test after they are about 18 months old.
Other animals capable of passing the test are bottlenose dolphins, killer whales, elephants, and European magpies.
Dogs and young human babies fail the mirror test. They are not self-aware.
If a dog or a human baby has a blemish on them, even if you hold a mirror right in front of their face they will not see that the imperfection is part of them. They will look at the mirror and think the mark is on the figure on the other side of the glass.
If you lose a dog (or a human baby) and you put their face on posters around the neighbourhood, or on TV, they will not recognise themselves. They can not identify their own image. Dogs will never pass the mirror test, but human babies learn to as they mature.
Adult humans who have been blind from birth but have their sight restored initially react as if their reflection in the mirror was another person. They have no visual self-awareness until they learn to develop it.
I think there is a lesson about the value of self-examination in this for us all.
It was a test of self-awareness and self-recognition.
The "mirror test" has since been expanded on and scientists have discovered only nine animals (including humans) are able to recognise themselves when a mirror is held up in front of them.
All of the great apes (bonobos, chimpanzees, orangutans, gorillas, and humans) pass the test, however human babies only develop the skills to pass the test after they are about 18 months old.
Other animals capable of passing the test are bottlenose dolphins, killer whales, elephants, and European magpies.
Dogs and young human babies fail the mirror test. They are not self-aware.
If a dog or a human baby has a blemish on them, even if you hold a mirror right in front of their face they will not see that the imperfection is part of them. They will look at the mirror and think the mark is on the figure on the other side of the glass.
If you lose a dog (or a human baby) and you put their face on posters around the neighbourhood, or on TV, they will not recognise themselves. They can not identify their own image. Dogs will never pass the mirror test, but human babies learn to as they mature.
Adult humans who have been blind from birth but have their sight restored initially react as if their reflection in the mirror was another person. They have no visual self-awareness until they learn to develop it.
I think there is a lesson about the value of self-examination in this for us all.
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