Geometric intuition may be innate, study finds common patterns in monkeys and humans

A recent study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that geometric intuition, the ability to distinguish regular shapes from irregular ones, is not exclusive to humans but also present in non-human primates. Researchers from Carnegie Mellon University conducted an experiment involving four rhesus monkeys and four olive baboons. These primates were presented with a touchscreen game where they had to match two-dimensional geometric shapes based on their similarity, receiving fruit treats as rewards. The shapes lacked distinct features like color or size differences, making the task reliant solely on geometric perception. Following the primate trials, the same experiment was administered to 58 preschoolers and 79 adults across the United States and indigenous Tsimane communities in Bolivia. This allowed for a comparison between different age groups, cultures, and educational backgrounds. The analysis revealed a striking continuity in how basic geometry was conceived across all groups. According to neuroscientist Jessica Cantlon, a co-author of the study, monkeys, children, and adults demonstrated similar ways of thinking about geometric relationships. This finding implies that fundamental geometric intuitions are an integral part of the primate mind's basic architecture. Cantlon suggests that children's education could leverage these innate intuitions rather than starting geometry instruction from scratch. The research was partly conducted at the Primate Portal, a collaborative project at Seneca Park Zoo in New York, which aims to study the origins of thought by allowing captive baboons to interact with cognitive tasks on a touchscreen. This facility provides open access to data and videos, enabling global students to analyze animal cognition.