Final answer:
Paragraph 4 of the article contextualizes the elephant experiment within the broader scientific research on animal cooperation, but without the actual paragraph text, the precise contribution is speculative.
Step-by-step explanation:
Paragraph 4 of "Elephants Can Lend a Helping Trunk" contributes to the topic by providing context on how the elephant experiment relates to prior research on animal cooperation. Without the specified paragraph, it's challenging to determine exactly which option is most accurate.
However, in general, such a paragraph might either contrast the uniqueness and importance of the findings on elephants to other researchers, question the validity of the researchers' claims, summarize how the new elephant study compares to past studies, or provide insight into the consensus among scientists regarding the behavior observed. This helps to frame the new information within the broader scientific discussion and understand its significance within the field of animal cooperation studies.