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32 - Innovation in Marine Mammals

from Part VI - Innovation and Problem-Solving

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 July 2021

By
Allison B. Kaufman
Edited by
Allison B. Kaufman ,
Josep Call  and
James C. Kaufman
Allison B. Kaufman
Affiliation:
University of Connecticut
Josep Call
Affiliation:
University of St Andrews, Scotland
James C. Kaufman
Affiliation:
University of Connecticut
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Summary

In humans, creativity or innovation (researchers draw a distinction, but for our purposes the two terms will be used interchangeably) is often defined as the ability to create things that are both novel and appropriate (Sternberg, Kaufman, & Pretz, 2002). A dress can be beautifully designed and crafted, but if it isn’t task appropriate – for example, if it can’t be worn – many researchers would not call it creative.In animals, the same “novel and appropriate” standard can be used, but the terms take on very different meaning, in many cases playing directly into the survival of an individual or a species.Of all species, marine mammals are especially noted for their intelligence and innovation in both the wild and under human care, and their innovative abilities in a variety of situations will be briefly reviewed here.Subsequently, a novel way of measurement of these abilities based on the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking, a common test of creativity used in humans, will be presented.

Keywords

innovationcreativitymarine mammalsTorranceTTCT
Type
Chapter
Information
The Cambridge Handbook of Animal Cognition , pp. 710 - 720
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2021

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