Comments on: Are you smarter than a chimp?

By: Caleb

Caleb — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 23:20:59 +0000

This isn’t too hard, you just have to do it a few times. Its not really factual memory, its subconscious memory like murtibing said. You have to let yourself act unconsciously.

By: John Doe

John Doe — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 20:23:56 +0000

I found this pretty easy. First try, I got at least 3. The second, I got 5. The third, I got 8 and tied the chimp. I wonder if I do it one last time, will I beat him?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 16:09:59 +0000

I have to say I find this far too easy, anyone know a more difficult one with less time or more numbers? 37 in a row was the best i got..

By: murtibing

murtibing — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 04:52:09 +0000

I’ve done this test several times now. Beating the monkey is not difficult. But I take issue with people saying this is primarily a memory task. I find there is not time to consciously read each numeral and remember it. The picture is flashed so quickly I mostly form a subjective “feeling” of what is where. My conscious memory only covers the lower digits, and although I get the order of higher digits correct I often couldn’t tell you what the digits actually are! Moreover I often mistake 8 and 3 and also 9 and 4. This is probably due to the fact that the “shape” is similar and can get mistaken when processing at speed. As for the number 10, I don’t recall ever seeing it, but I always have a good idea which square contains the biggest number. For me this monkey memory task raises far more questions than it answers! Very interesting.

By: bettie

bettie — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 07:47:29 +0000

this test would be better if there was a seperate version for dyslexics. all my incorrect answers were either 6 or 9. I tied the monkey.

By: Michael Scanlon

Michael Scanlon — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 13:18:40 +0000

MindTweaks provides a good discussion of the chimp experiment: http://www.mindtweaks.com/wordpress/?p=551

By: Jan

Jan — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 07:28:56 +0000

After some practising I got 9 out of 10, but only with concentrating hard. The chimp even picks his nose while doing it. And the chimp also got it correct after being distracted for 10 sec. I couldn’t do that. And by the way, to Lawrence, there are an infinite numbers of combination of numbers that appear on the screen. It is impossible to remember all.

By: SOURCE

SOURCE — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 12:46:39 +0000

i got 9 on the first try and 10 on the 2nd. i think its doing that Bird watching thing so much. it seems to really help. Either that or video games but who knows.

By: lipripr

lipripr — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 01:10:25 +0000

People… wake up…how many times has the monkey done the same patterns… even a rat can memorize!

By: Lawrence

Lawrence — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 23:16:44 +0000

I got 9 on first try. The first couple were difficult, but then my brain/eyes figured out how to look at and record the pattern. I got the second one wrong, then all after that fell into place.