A study involving two different pig species demonstrated that the animals are capable of remarkable behavioral and mental flexibility. The pigs learned to play a simple video game, connecting the movement of the cursor on the computer screen to the joystick they manipulated using their snouts. The researchers say understanding the depth of an animal's intelligence can provide insight into its evolution, how it compares with humans and other species, and how cognition impacts its welfare.

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.631755/full

    • Gay_Wrath [fae/faer]
      ·
      4 years ago

      in the current study, the team used food to teach and reinforce behaviors, but also found that social contact could strongly influence their persistence. For instance, when the machine dispensing treats failed to work, the pigs continued to make correct responses using only verbal and tactile cues. And only verbal encouragement seemed to help the animals during the most challenging tasks.

      They were literally encouraged by humans saying nice things to them omfg <3