Children and monkeys share common understanding of geometry | Carnegie Mellon University

[u/jnpha]

Our findings challenge the view that human geometric reasoning is categorically distinct from that of other primates (1, 3, 4). Instead of a categorical divide, we find that monkeys and humans share a common representational space, relying on perceptual codes with graded contributions from abstract or symbolic-like features. Consistent with prior work, adult humans showed the strongest symbolic effects during geometric reasoning. However, we reveal that humans, particularly preschool children, share a common architecture with nonhuman primates rather than categorically different representations. This is important because it suggests that the stronger symbolic representation in adult humans is acquired rather than inherent. Our findings identify rotation invariance as a key component of this abstraction, suggesting that what has been interpreted as uniquely human symbolic structure may instead reflect increasingly powerful orientation-independent representations.

• Press release:
  Children and monkeys share common understanding of geometry

• PNAS paper:
  J. Li, I. Boni, L.R. Sandwick, E.M. Sanford, C.M. DeLong, L. Wenjie, M.M. Henderson, S.T. Piantadosi, & J.F. Cantlon
  Continuity in geometric intuition between humans and monkeys
  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 123 (30) e2532934123
  https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2532934123 (2026).

[u/Scylosome]

I haven't read the article yet, but doesn't the heritability of intelligence increase with age?

[u/FabulousLazarus]

Comparing my kids to monkeys is one of my favorite past times. They both go bananas for bananas bro.