Cognitive Functioning in Dolphins (2015)

Undergraduate: Kaylyn Flanigan

Faculty Advisor: Leslie Frost
Department: Biology

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Research once supported that great apes were second to humans in the processes linked to thinking and behavior; however, recent research has proposed that dolphins have a higher brain to body mass ratio associated with higher intelligence. The increased mass of the brain accounts for larger cortices responsible for social awareness and an elevated number of spindle cells associated with heightened cognition. As a result porpoises and some whales exhibit elevated declarative, procedural, social, and self-knowledge. They are highly trainable and are often exploited for entertainment purposes. Although much of what we have learned was gained through interaction with these animals in captivity, the application of their knowledge could be used for more important scientific discovery. Through this paper I will explore the positive applications that could result from studying the cognitive functioning of porpoises.