Social knowledge in ravens

With this project I intend to investigate what common ravens (Corvus corax) know about the visual perception of others. The birds` understanding may take different forms, from an individuals` use of the gaze direction of others as a behavioral cue ("low level" cognitive model) to the understanding that the visual experience of others is analogous to one`s own visual experience ("high level" cognitive model). The latter refers to the attribution of psychological states and is considered to be a major factor in demarcating humans from non-human animals. Ravens are suitable subjects to examine these questions because their scavenging life-style pits them into constant interactions with conspecifics and brings them close to dangerous predators such as wolves or humans. Indeed, our previous studies show that ravens are capable of sophisticated tactical maneuvers, such as hiding from view and withholding intention. Visual perspective-taking could give them an edge in these interactions. By adopting procedures established in primates, I plan to use four experimental steps to elucidate the ravens` knowledge about the visual attention of others. First, I will examine the ontogeny of gaze-following, to assess the role of learning and the use of gaze in relation to other social cues. Secondly, I will assess the ravens` ability to use gaze direction of both human experimenters and other ravens to find hidden food by measuring their behavior in object choice situations. Thirdly, I will establish whether ravens can outwit dominant competitors in food retrieval tasks by selectively retrieving food pieces that are out of the dominants` sight. Finally, I will assess whether ravens differ in their gaze follow skills from two closely related but socially and ecologically distinct species of corvids (jackdaws, Corvus monedula, and rooks, Corvus frugilegus), testing the hypothesis that the ravens` knowledge about visual perception of others is a cognitive adaptation to their scavenging life-style. If ravens, as predicted, base their foraging decisions on the visual behavior of others, this would demonstrate that they know what others can and cannot see. The proposed study will improve our understanding of complex cognition in non-human animals. Research on social cognition is a field of increasing importance and with considerable impact on the understanding of the evolution of the human mind.