Summary
Great apes, dolphins, elephants and magpies pass mirror tests, hinting at self-awareness.
In depth
Gordon Gallup's mark test: an animal touches a mark on its body seen only in a mirror. Passed by great apes, dolphins, elephants, magpies and cleaner wrasse. Failure doesn't prove lack of self-awareness.
Passing the mark test is thought to indicate some degree of self-awareness, though it depends on vision and motivation to touch marks. Species that rely on smell may fail even if self-aware.
Example: cleaner wrasse scratched at marks on their throats in a 2019 study, debated by researchers.
In the mirror test devised by Gordon Gallup in 1970, a mark is placed on an animal's body where it can only be seen in a mirror. If the animal inspects or touches the mark, it is taken as evidence that it recognises the reflection as itself.
Great apes, bottlenose dolphins, Asian elephants, Eurasian magpies and cleaner wrasse have passed versions of the test, while most species respond with social behaviour toward the reflection. The test has limits: it relies on vision and on caring about a mark, so failures do not prove a lack of self-awareness.
Example: a chimpanzee touches a dye spot on its brow after seeing it in the mirror.
Common mistake: treating failure as proof of no self-concept.
Frequently asked questions
What is Mirror Self-Recognition?
Great apes, dolphins, elephants and magpies pass mirror tests, hinting at self-awareness.
Which area of biology covers Mirror Self-Recognition, and how advanced is it?
Mirror Self-Recognition is one of the 53 topics in Animal Behaviour. It is rated Advanced, so it suits learners who want specialist depth. Related topics in this area include Instinct, Animal Cognition Experiments, Social Learning and Culture.
Can you give an example of Mirror Self-Recognition?
Young children pass at about 18 to 24 months.
What should I learn before Mirror Self-Recognition?
Work through the Beginner topics in Animal Behaviour first, such as Animal Behaviour, Innate Behaviour, Learned Behaviour, then return to Mirror Self-Recognition. Advanced topics assume the Intermediate vocabulary.
What topics are related to Mirror Self-Recognition?
The closest topics to Mirror Self-Recognition are Instinct, Animal Cognition Experiments, Social Learning and Culture, Human Evolutionary Psychology. Comparing them side by side is a good way to see how the ideas connect.
How can I check that I understand Mirror Self-Recognition?
Read the summary and the in-depth section, then use the quick check on the interactive lesson for Mirror Self-Recognition. To practise the whole of Animal Behaviour, use the Animal Behaviour quiz.
How is Mirror Self-Recognition different from Instinct?
Mirror Self-Recognition: Great apes, dolphins, elephants and magpies pass mirror tests, hinting at self-awareness. Instinct: An inborn pattern of behaviour triggered by a particular stimulus. Read both side by side and note what each one explains.
What is a common mistake about Mirror Self-Recognition?
Treating failure as proof of no self-concept.
How should I study Mirror Self-Recognition step by step?
First, read the summary and write the definition in your own words. Second, read the in-depth section and note any example. Third, compare it with Instinct and explain the difference aloud. Finally, take the Animal Behaviour quiz and come back to this page for any question you miss.