In the context of Pepperburg's research, what is 'symbolic understanding'?

In the context of Pepperberg's research, 'symbolic understanding' refers to the ability to grasp abstract concepts such as 'same' and 'different.' This is significant because Pepperberg's work, particularly with African grey parrots, demonstrated that these birds could not only identify objects but also understand and communicate about relationships between those objects. This level of comprehension indicates that the parrots were processing information at a cognitive level that involved symbolic reasoning, akin to early human cognitive development.

Understanding abstract relationships is a key marker of cognitive function and signifies that the individual can engage in higher-order thinking, moving beyond mere recognition of sounds or memorization of patterns. This contrasts with other options that focus on more simplistic or basic functions like vocal communication or sound distinction, which do not necessarily imply the ability to conceptualize relationships between different entities.