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Now that you've had a chance to explore this question, write a 500-word essay on one of the following topics. Be sure to reference your textbook readings to support your claims!

1. What language is and isn't

2. shaping

3. anthropomorphism

4. confirmation bias (how we see what we like to see)

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Go to YouTube and find more videos on Koko:

1) Find a moment in one of these videos when it appears that Koko is clearly being prompted and rewarded by her trainer to get her to do a sign. Explain what you've found.

2) Find a moment which you think is very hard to explain given what we've learned about rewards and anthropomorphism -  moment you think Koko is truly communicating.  Explain what you've found.

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In the end, we still don't know what might be going on inside Koko's head. We simply don't know yet.  However, if we are to truly understand animal intelligence and communication, we must be able to avoid our human biases and eliminate alternative, simpler explanations for what we see.

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Have your students watch the videos again. Ask them if Koko is behaving like the pigeons did - is she making signs she was previously rewarded for making, but does she really "knowing" what she's  doing? Is she really trying to communicate her thoughts? Have them keep the idea of anthropomorphizing in mind as they watch. Also, are they using confirmation bias, that is, paying attention only to those behaviors that support the belief that Koko is using language, and ignoring those times in the video when Koko doesn't appear to be communicating at all?

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1b) Remembering the human side of Koko the gorilla

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1b) Remembering the human side of Koko the gorilla

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Remembering the human side of Koko the gorilla

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7a) Watch these videos about Koko's Best Moments

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7a) Watch these videos about Koko's Best Moments

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Koko the Gorilla's Best Moments: From Sign Language to Meeting Mister Rogers

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When you ask this same question after watching the videos, their average answer will probably be lower. A great time to discuss why this happened? What makes them less sure that Koko is using language the way humans do?

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The "ping pong" video shows how, using reinforcement techniques, (shaping) pigeons can appear to be playing a very human-like game.  But ask whether students think the birds "know" what they're doing?

Clever Hans: once again, an animal appears to be intelligent, but has simply been reinforced by his trainer to stop "counting" when the trainer makes a slight move of his head.  Important point: at the time, many many people believed that Hans was intelligent. If we don't think critically, we can be easily duped.

Rubber: you don't need to show all of this video. The point is that we easily anthropomorphize - see human qualities - in just about any inanimate object - even a tire! Ask students what human qualities they see in this tire.

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Ask your students this question. As a result of the videos they just saw, most students will probably pick a high number on this scale.

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These videos present a very positive, heartwarming view of Koko and as a result, students will probably be convinced that Koko uses language like humans do

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1b) Remembering the human side of Koko the gorilla

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1b) Remembering the human side of Koko the gorilla

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Remembering the human side of Koko the gorilla

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6) Choose a number from the scale below to answer this question: Does Koko use language the way humans do? (1 = Not at all like humans, 10 - Very much like humans)

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6) Choose a number from the scale below to answer this question: Does Koko use language the way humans do? (1 = Not at all like humans, 10 - Very much like humans)

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1   2     3     4     5     6     7     8     9     10

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2) Choose a number from the scale below to answer this question: Does Koko use language the way humans do? (1 = Not at all like humans, 10 - Very much like humans)

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2) Choose a number from the scale below to answer this question: Does Koko use language the way humans do? (1 = Not at all like humans, 10 - Very much like humans)

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1   2     3     4     5     6     7     8     9     10

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5) Watch this video about a movie called "Rubber"

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5) Watch this video about a movie called "Rubber"

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3) Watch this video showing Pigeons Playing Ping-Pong

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3) Watch this video showing Pigeons Playing Ping-Pong

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BF Skinner Foundation - Pigeon Ping Pong Clip

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Horse that could do math

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Clever Hans - Video Learning - WizScience.com

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1a) Watch these videos about Koko's Best Moments

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1a) Watch these videos about Koko's Best Moments

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Koko the Gorilla's Best Moments: From Sign Language to Meeting Mister Rogers