Animals are amazing creatures with a wide array of traits, but one seemingly common trait is their inability to understand mirrors. Can animals even perceive themselves in mirrors? Check out this video from StoryTrender to watch animals’ reactions to seeing themselves.
Can Animals Recognize Their Own Reflection?
To determine whether animals recognize their own reflections, you have to look at animals on a species-by-species level. Every animal has adapted in its own unique way, including in terms of intelligence and self-perception. The idea of questioning if animals could perceive themselves in a mirror was first explored by American psychologist Gordon Gallup Jr. in 1970. Gallup created what is famously known as the “mirror test.” This test determines if animals, as well as human babies, can recognize themselves. During the initial test with human babies, a smudge of soot was put on the baby’s nose. If the baby touched their own nose while looking in the mirror, it indicated some level of self-recognition. Similar concepts have since been applied to animal species.
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Here, these primates are tickled by seeing themselves in the mirror in the video from StoryTrender.
©YouTube/StoryTrender
Since its inception, psychologists and researchers have conducted the test hundreds of times around the world. The results of the test vary between species of animals. The majority of animals fail the test and are not able to self-recognize, while a few have passed. Animals that have passed include great apes (such as chimpanzees, orangutans, and gorillas), killer whales, bottlenose dolphins, Asian elephants, Eurasian magpies, manta rays, horses, and, according to recent research, even a mimic octopus. Animals that generally fail include cats, dogs, pandas, and most bird species, though some birds like Eurasian magpies have passed the mirror test. This begs the question: why can some animals self-perceive while some cannot?
Ability to Self-Perceive
The ability to self-perceive all boils down to the evolution of different senses. Humans rely on five primary senses. Senses such as eyesight carry great importance to our everyday lives. Animals such as dogs, however, rely more on their sense of smell to identify other dogs or species. This reliance makes it more difficult for them to pass the test. So while your dog may be technically looking at itself in the mirror, it is unlikely that it recognizes itself. The BBC’s Science Focus Magazine states that, similar to how human babies can self-perceive a smudge of soot on their nose, dogs can self-perceive based on the smells of their urine.
You may be wondering what makes some species able to self-perceive. Simply put, just like humans, certain animal species have more brain power to self-perceive. Little is actually known about the neural processes involved in mirror self-perception in animals, making it difficult to answer the question. Apes, like humans, evolved from a common ancestor and have the ability to self-perceive. Initial tests done by Gallup found that learning to self-perceive was a process for these animals, who were seeing themselves for the first time. We as humans probably can’t remember seeing ourselves in the mirror for the first time. This is what makes the mirror test so interesting: you can see other animals learn about themselves. Gallup’s findings showed that the apes initially thought the reflection was another ape, but by exploring and moving their bodies, they learned that it was indeed themselves.
Birds typically do not pass the mirror test, though some species, such as Eurasian magpies can.
©buddhawut/Shutterstock.com
How Do Different Animals Perceive Mirrors?
How animals perceive themselves in mirrors has been studied for decades now, and different species react differently to mirrors. Because of this, mirrors have actually become useful in the practice of zoology! Mirrors have been shown to be useful in combating loneliness for animals in zoos. Social animals who may not have the ability to self-perceive in mirrors will often see themselves as just another member of their species. This is helpful in creating a sense of, albeit fake, community for these animals. This can give animals a sense of companionship, boosting their morale and health.
Mirrors have also been shown to be useful for triggering and initiating mating rituals for animals as well. When animals are taken out of their habitats and placed in an isolated area such as a zoo, triggering mating may be difficult. It is especially difficult if the animals are social creatures with a smaller community than before. To counteract this, mirrors can be used to help with the process by creating a sense of a larger community.
An example of this is with flamingos. Flamingos breed relative to their flock size. It is extremely rare to see flamingos mate in small flock sizes, with flocks of around 60-70 showing consistent breeding patterns. It is also not uncommon to see flocks of 500+ flamingos in the wild, which will have consistent breeding habits as well. To help support flamingos in isolated places such as zoos, mirrors can be used to replicate large flocks found in the wild, triggering consistent breeding habits amongst captive flamingos.
While understanding how animals are able to react to themselves in mirrors is extremely complicated, conducting psychological tests has helped to show which animals can self-perceive or not. Mirrors have also shown practical help in zoology.
The post Are Animals Self-Aware? Their Mirror Reactions Might Surprise You appeared first on A-Z Animals.
