ABSTRACT
Self-recognition by nonhuman organisms was first described by Gallup (1970), who presented chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) with mirrors. The chimpanzees initially directed their behav ior toward the mirror image, acting as though it was an unfamiliar conspecific. Following sev eral hours experience with the mirror, these “social behaviors” decreased and behaviors that Gallup termed “self-directed” emerged. Self directed behaviors included picking the teeth using the mirror image to guide the hands, vi sually inspecting the ano-genital region (an oth erwise visually inaccessible area) by looking at the mirror image, and blowing bubbles with the mouth while visually inspecting the bubbles in the mirror image.
