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Study Shows Monkeys Like Watching TV
According to a Japanese study, monkeys are not immune to the siren call of the idiot box. It seems rhesus monkeys enjoy watching videos of circus animals. From the article: "The study found that when the monkey was witnessing the acrobatic performances of circus animals on a television screen, the frontal lobe area of its brain became vigorously active. The activity in such an area was significant in reflecting the monkey's pleasure, as the human equivalent is a neurological area associated with triggering delight in a baby when it sees the smile of its mother."
Knowing our similarities to other primate species, I think they should direct and film some "TV drama" type performance of monkeys -- basically, a TV show that uses monkeys doing the kinds of social interaction monkeys do. Then, see if the monkeys are just as interested in watching other monkeys handle situations, as we are in watching humans.
Also, see if they're able to distinguish TV from reality, and if they start feeling strongly about the characters.
Of course, it could be difficult to get the monkey "actors" to cooperate.
Information theory is life. The rest is just the KL divergence.
In our local zoo the chimps have a TV with Teletubbies on it....seriously.
No sig today...
> Have you seen what's on TV these days?
No, but from the reports it appears that it's what has always been there.
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