Question

Humans use mental maps to navigate in the world. One of the key benefits of math is to use it to find shortcuts between two locations that are unknown but which you have not traveled between. Scientists have wondered if other animals might use mental maps to help with navigation. Scientists in Egypt wanted to find out if Egyptian fruit bats use mental maps to navigate between fruit trees. Which hypothesis below would be useful in determining if bats were using mental maps to navigate?

A. Bats rely on smell to find fruit trees.
B. Bats navigate randomly between fruit trees.
C. Bats follow a fixed path between fruit trees.
D. Bats avoid fruit trees during navigation.

Answer 1

Hypothesis C, 'Bats follow a fixed path between fruit trees,' is useful for determining if Egyptian fruit bats navigate using mental maps, as it suggests internal cognitive representation beyond immediate sensory cues. This is in line with cognitive learning demonstrated by other animal species in past experiments.

Step-by-step explanation:

When considering hypotheses to determine whether Egyptian fruit bats use mental maps for navigation, we should look for a hypothesis that specifically addresses the bats' ability to navigate in a way that suggests internal cognitive representation of their environment. Hypothesis C, 'Bats follow a fixed path between fruit trees,' would be useful for this purpose. If bats were consistently following a fixed path, this could indicate that they are not navigating randomly or solely relying on immediate sensory cues like smell or sound. Instead, it might suggest they are using a cognitive map they have developed of their environment to navigate efficiently between fruit trees.

Edward Tolman's experiments with rats in mazes and the concept of cognitive learning demonstrated that animals can build cognitive maps and navigate using latent learning, which supports the possibility of bats having similar abilities. Cognitive learning has been recognized in various species, indicating that the use of mental maps is not solely a human trait. In studies involving the language and spatial thinking of the Australian Aboriginals, it has been observed that cognitive abilities can influence navigation. This insight is relevant in assessing whether animals like bats could employ similar mental constructs.