Exorcising Grice's ghost: an empirical approach to studying intentional communication in animals.

Journal: Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society

Volume: 92

Issue: 3

Year of Publication: 2018

Affiliated Institutions:  Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, , Switzerland. Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, Zurich, , Switzerland. School of Psychology and Neuroscience, St Andrews University, St Andrews, KY JP, U.K. School of Psychology, University of York, York, YO DD, U.K. Department of Comparative Linguistics, University of Zurich, Zurich, , Switzerland. Department of Psychotherapy and Biopsychosocial Health, Danube University, Krems, , Austria. Percy Fitzpatrick Institute, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, , South Africa. Laboratoire de Psychologie Cognitive, Aix-Marseille University/CNRS, Marseille, , France. Institute of Philosophy, University of Zurich, Zurich, , Switzerland. Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, , Geneva. Department of Education and Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, , Germany. German Seminar, University of Zurich, Zurich, , Switzerland. Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, , Hungary. Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, , Germany. Zoology Department, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB EJ, U.K. Department of Psychology, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, P UP, U.K. Philosophy Seminar, Basel University, Basel, , Switzerland.

Abstract summary 

Language's intentional nature has been highlighted as a crucial feature distinguishing it from other communication systems. Specifically, language is often thought to depend on highly structured intentional action and mutual mindreading by a communicator and recipient. Whilst similar abilities in animals can shed light on the evolution of intentionality, they remain challenging to detect unambiguously. We revisit animal intentional communication and suggest that progress in identifying analogous capacities has been complicated by (i) the assumption that intentional (that is, voluntary) production of communicative acts requires mental-state attribution, and (ii) variation in approaches investigating communication across sensory modalities. To move forward, we argue that a framework fusing research across modalities and species is required. We structure intentional communication into a series of requirements, each of which can be operationalised, investigated empirically, and must be met for purposive, intentionally communicative acts to be demonstrated. Our unified approach helps elucidate the distribution of animal intentional communication and subsequently serves to clarify what is meant by attributions of intentional communication in animals and humans.

Authors & Co-authors:  Townsend Simon W SW Koski Sonja E SE Byrne Richard W RW Slocombe Katie E KE Bickel Balthasar B Boeckle Markus M Braga Goncalves Ines I Burkart Judith M JM Flower Tom T Gaunet Florence F Glock Hans Johann HJ Gruber Thibaud T Jansen David A W A M DAWAM Liebal Katja K Linke Angelika A Miklósi Ádám Á Moore Richard R van Schaik Carel P CP Stoll Sabine S Vail Alex A Waller Bridget M BM Wild Markus M Zuberbühler Klaus K Manser Marta B MB

Study Outcome 

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Statistics
Citations : 
Authors :  24
Identifiers
Doi : 10.1111/brv.12289
SSN : 1469-185X
Study Population
Male,Female
Mesh Terms
Animal Communication
Other Terms
communication;gesture;intentionality;language evolution;vocalisation
Study Design
Cross Sectional Study
Study Approach
Country of Study
Publication Country
England