Cognitive and communicative abilities of grey parrots. This book suggests several areas for future research on the methods needed to. Irene maxine pepperberg is associate professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, associate professor of psychology, and affiliate in the program in neuroscience at the university of arizona. Cognitive and communicative abilities of grey parrots di pepperberg, irene maxine e una grande selezione di libri, arte e articoli da collezione disponibile su abebooks. She is the winner of the 2000 selby fellowship from the australian academy of sciences and was made a fellow of the american. Nov 09, 2008 for a technical analysis of his feats, youll want to read pepperbergs book the alex studies, published in 2000. A new york times bestseller and selected as one of the papers critics top ten books of the. Alexs abilities are extraordinary, and pepperbergs investigation of them. Buy a discounted paperback of the alex studies online from australias leading online bookstore. Pepperberg has published her work in scientific journals, but in january harvard university press will publish the alex studies, a. Alexs spectacular abilities were sensationalized in the news media, as though it were a talking parrot act. When irene pepperberg, a professor at the university of arizona, says goodnight, she typically hears the reply bye. Jan 21, 2000 the alex studies by irene maxine pepperberg, 97806740005, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide.
Pepperberg and alex, an african grey parrot who proved scientists and accepted wisdom wrong by demonstrating an astonishing ability to communicate and understand complex ideas. She has been a bunting fellow at the radcliffe institute for advanced study. Alex s spectacular abilities were sensationalized in the news media, as though it were a talking parrot act. Booktopia has the alex studies, cognitive and communicative abilities of grey parrots by irene maxine pepperberg. Irene pepperbergs studies of alex are some of the most remarkable and. She is an adjunct professor of psychology at brandeis university and a lecturer at harvard university. The alex studies, cognitive and communicative abilities of. Let a man decide upon his favorite animal and make a study. Irene pepperberg has done groundbreaking experiments, and bringing them together in a panoramic view is a great service. The parrot who said i love you alex the african gray parrot could do more than speak and understand he could also count, identify colors and develop an emotional relationship.
Alexs brain was the size of a shelled walnut, and when irene and alex first met, birds were not believed to possess any potential for language, consciousness, or anything remotely comparable to human intelligence. What would normally be a quiet, very private event was, in alexs case, headline news. For a technical analysis of his feats, youll want to read pepperbergs book the alex studies, published in 2000. Alex may 1976 6 september 2007 was a grey parrot and the subject of a thirtyyear experiment by animal psychologist irene pepperberg, initially at the university of arizona and later at harvard university and brandeis university.
Irene maxine pepperberg born april 1, 1949 is a scientist noted for her studies in animal. I n june 1977, irene pepperberg went to a chicago pet store, purchased an african grey parrot, and named him alex. Pdf cognitive and communicative abilities of grey parrots. Since the early 1900s, most studies on animalhuman communication have focused on great apes and a few cetacean species. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. That obscured the significance of the studies, which is why the alex studies is important irene pepperberg has done groundbreaking experiments, and bringing them together in a panoramic view is a great service she describes. Cognitive and communicative abilities of grey parrots by irene maxine pepperberg 20020430 paperback bunko 1656 by irene maxine pepperberg. She has been a professor, researcher andor lecturer at multiple universities, and she is currently a research associate and lecturer at harvard university.
This book represents the longawaited synthesis of the studies constituting one of the landmark experiments in modern comparative psychology. Pepperberg is an associate research professor at brandeis university in massachusetts and teaches animal cognition at harvard university. Buy a discounted paperback of the alex studies online from. Pepperberg is a pioneer in the field of avian cognition and language development. Her work with alex was groundbreaking and created the first crack in the bird brain stereotype. In detailing the training and remarkable achievements of alex and the other birds in pepperbergs lab, the alex studies makes it clear that parrots are capable of much more than parroting or mechanically mimicking what they hear. The alex studies by irene maxine pepperberg, 97806740005, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide.
While this book inevitably covers some of the same ground, it is a moving tribute that beautifully evokes the struggles, the initial triumphs, the setbacks, the unexpected and often stunning achievements during a groundbreaking scientific endeavor spent uncovering cognitive abilities in alex that no one believed were possible, and challenging sciences. Irene pepperberg has written a book about her work of three decades with the african grey parrot alex, who died unexepectedly in september, 2007. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Her evidence stands up to the closest scrutiny, and alex the parrot turns out to have cognitive abilities that were not even suspected before pepperberg began her work. On september 6, 2007, an african grey parrot named alex died prematurely at age thirtyone. By teaching the bird the meaningnot just the soundof words in. While i was doing the studies with him i always tried to treat him like a colleague the people you work with, you care about them, but. The alex studies cognitive and communicative abilities of grey parrots irene maxine pepperberg harvard university press, cambridge, ma, 1999. Pepperberg, for proving how brilliant even the smallest little animals are in captivity and in the wild. She is the winner of the 2000 selby fellowship from the australian academy of sciences and was made a fellow of the american psychological society. Dr irene pepperberg is well known for her studies on alex the grey parrot and this book provides a thorough and detailed account of some of the studies on alex, and some the results show the considerable intelligence of parrots. The results of the majority of her experiments are discussed in terms drawn from the general literature of behavior analysis and skinners analysis of. Irene maxine pepperberg born april 1, 1949 is a scientist noted for her studies in animal cognition, particularly in relation to parrots. Experiments performed primarily on pigeons in skinner boxes demonstrated.
More is a scientist noted for her studies in animal cognition, particularly in relation to parrots. Irene pepperbergs studies of alex are some of the most remarkable and significant in the whole field of animal cognition. I love you, were alexs final words to his owner, research scientist irene pepperberg, before his premature death at age thirtyone on september 6. In his lifetime, alex became a media star, thus helping to advance the understanding of both animal cognition and of the interconnectedness between animals and people. The results of the majority of her experiments are discussed in terms drawn from the general literature of behavior analysis and skinners analysis of verbal behavior. I recently read irene pepperbergs book about her life with alex the world famous african grey, who could identify colors, quantities, materials, shapes and use language in astonishing context. She trained alex to speak and comprehend some english, then used his linguistic capacities to. I believe that human social psychology, in the form of social modeling theory see, e. The present book, in contrast, is largely celebratory light on. That obscured the significance of the studies, which is why the alex studies is important. In detailing the training and remarkable achievements of alex and the other birds in pepperberg s lab, the alex studies makes it clear that parrots are capable of much more than parroting or mechanically mimicking what they hear. The book should be accessible to a wide range of audiences, from researchers. In her 1999 book, the alex studies, published by harvard, pepperberg writes about becoming excited by an idea that donald griffin, the zoologist, had articulated.
Twenty years ago, irene pepperberg set out to discover whether largebrained, highly social parrots were capable of mastering complex cognitive concepts and the rudiments of referential speech. Alex the african grey my parrot and i books and arts. Alex s brain was the size of a shelled walnut, and when irene and alex first met, birds were not believed to possess any potential for language, consciousness, or anything remotely comparable to human intelligence. Pepperberg, completely changed the way scientists perceived parrot intelligence.
Pepperberg traces her childhood and the many hurdles she scaled in the scientific community. Pdf this paper presents results of almost 30 years of study of the cognitive and. Pepperberg and alex, an african grey parrot who proved scientists and accepted wisdom wrong by demonstrating an astonishing ability to communicat. Birds were rarely used in similar studies on the grounds that they were merely talented mimicsthat they were, after all, birdbrains. For researchers in the field of animal cognition, pepperberg brings together in a well organized form 20 years of her work with grey parrots. Dec 19, 20 irene pepperberg on teaching alex the parrot to count. While this book inevitably covers some of the same ground, it is a moving tribute that beautifully evokes the struggles, the initial triumphs, the setbacks, the unexpected and often stunning achievements. Jun 30, 2009 twenty years ago irene pepperberg set out to discover whether the results of the pigeon studies necessarily meant that other birdsparticularly the largebrained, highly social parrotswere incapable of mastering complex cognitive concepts and the rudiments of referential speech.
Feb 11, 2000 the alex studies cognitive and communicative abilities of grey parrots irene maxine pepperberg harvard university press, cambridge, ma, 1999. She is head of the alex foundation and author of the alex studies. Can a parrot understand complex concepts and mean what it says. How a scientist and a parrot uncovered a hidden world of animal intelligence and formed a deep bond in the process by irene m. Irene pepperberg on teaching alex the parrot to count. She is the author of one previous book, the alex studies harvard, 2000.
Cognitive and communicative abilities of grey parrots new ed by irene maxine pepperberg isbn. The parrot alex can also recognize and distinguish numbers up to six, and spontaneously. This article appeared in the books and arts section of the print edition under the headline my parrot and i. While at times a heavy and technical book, the alex studies is an incredibly detailed yet readable overview of her work with alex. This book represents the longawaited synthesis of the studies constituting one of the landmark experiments in modern comparative. Cognitive and communicative abilities of grey parrots 9780674008069. The parrot who said i love you alex the african gray parrot could do more than speak and understand he could also count, identify. Pepperberg and her colleagues have sought to show that alex can. She describes simply what she did, and why and how her results compare. Cognitive and communicative abilities of grey parrots by. When alex was about one year old, pepperberg bought him at a pet shop.
The main focus of her work is to determine the cognitive and communicative abilities of these birds, and compare their abilities with those of great apes, marine mammals, and young children. Irene pepperberg on teaching alex the parrot to count telegraph. His last words to his owner, irene pepperberg, were you be good. I loved alex from the moment that he was introduced in the story. This book represents the longawaited synthesis of the studies. Social modeling theory and its application to birds. A new york times bestseller and selected as one of the papers critics top ten books of the year, alex. I had the good fortune of seeing alex on a television show many many years ago, and he grabbed my imagination and my heart right from the start. Pepperberg, who teaches animal cognition, has previously documented the results of her 30year relationship with alex in the alex studies.
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