El caso perdue: la metacognición en los animales no humanos desde el punto de vista de los sentimientos metacognitivos
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Abstract
The traditional philosophical approach to metacognition, which requires metarepresentations and reflective capacities, tends to deny the possibility of metacognition in non-human animals. However, a growing body of research in comparative psychology shows that some primate species, such as rhesus monkeys and chimpanzees, exhibit behaviors consistent with metacognitive processes. This paper examines studies within the information-seeking paradigm, with particular attention to the so-called Perdue Case, in which chimpanzees use tools strategically under conditions of uncertainty. I argue that this behavior constitutes a clear instance of procedural metacognition. In particular, I claim that chimpanzees not only inhibit responses, but also actively select epistemic strategies—such as using tools—guided by metacognitive feelings. I conclude that the procedural model of metacognition, conceived as a continuum ranging from basic monitoring to the strategic use of tools, overcomes the limitations of purely associative and metarepresentational explanations.
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