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Macaque monkeys can learn to associate pictures with sounds and words, even when the words are then spoken by new individuals, showing impressive abilities to learn cross-modal associations

02.12.25 | PLOS

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Monkeys can identify pictures from words
In the experiment, monkeys engage with auditory stimuli—ranging from simple sounds to spoken words—by identifying and selecting the corresponding visual image on a touchscreen. During one trial, a monkey momentarily diverted its attention, turning to observe the researcher, while the test images, reflected on an adjacent side panel, lingered on the screen, awaiting the animal’s tactile response. Credit: Cabrera-Ruiz et al., CC-BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Macaque monkeys can learn to associate pictures with sounds and words, even when the words are then spoken by new individuals, showing impressive abilities to learn cross-modal associations

Article URL : https://plos.io/3CrJ9CB

Article title: Monkeys can identify pictures from words

Author countries: México, U.S.

Funding: LL received funding from the Consejo Nacional de Humanidades, Ciencias y Tecnologías (CONAHCYT; Grant Number: 256767; https://conahcyt.mx/ ) and the Programa de Apoyo a Proyectos de Investigación e Innovación Tecnológica (PAPIIT; Grant Number: IN229323; https://dgapa.unam.mx/index.php/impulso-a-la-investigacion/papiit ). JV was supported by the Secretaría de Educación, Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación de la Ciudad de México (Grant Number: SECTEI/103/2022; https://www.sectei.cdmx.gob.mx/ ). Elizabeth Cabrera Ruiz conducted this study to fulfill the requirements of the Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Biomédicas at Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México and received a doctoral scholarship from the Consejo Nacional de Humanidades, Ciencias y Tecnologías (Scholarship Number: 245771; https://conahcyt.mx/ ). The data presented in this work form part of her doctoral dissertation. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

PLOS One

10.1371/journal.pone.0317183

Monkeys can identify pictures from words

12-Feb-2025

NO authors have competing interests.

Keywords

Animals Life Sciences Mammals Monkeys Nonhuman Primates Organismal Biology

Article Information

Journal
PLOS One
DOI
10.1371/journal.pone.0317183
Article Publication Date
2025-02-12
Article Title
Monkeys can identify pictures from words
COI Statement
NO authors have competing interests.

Contact Information

Hanna Abdallah
PLOS
onepress@plos.org

How to Cite This Article

APA:
PLOS. (2025, February 12). Macaque monkeys can learn to associate pictures with sounds and words, even when the words are then spoken by new individuals, showing impressive abilities to learn cross-modal associations. Brightsurf News. https://www.brightsurf.com/news/L3RZKKQ8/macaque-monkeys-can-learn-to-associate-pictures-with-sounds-and-words-even-when-the-words-are-then-spoken-by-new-individuals-showing-impressive-abilities-to-learn-cross-modal-associations.html
MLA:
"Macaque monkeys can learn to associate pictures with sounds and words, even when the words are then spoken by new individuals, showing impressive abilities to learn cross-modal associations." Brightsurf News, Feb. 12 2025, https://www.brightsurf.com/news/L3RZKKQ8/macaque-monkeys-can-learn-to-associate-pictures-with-sounds-and-words-even-when-the-words-are-then-spoken-by-new-individuals-showing-impressive-abilities-to-learn-cross-modal-associations.html.