Global and local processing of hierarchical visual stimuli in tufted capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella)

Capuchin monkeys' (Cebus apella) relative accuracy in the processing of the global shape or the local features of hierarchical visual stimuli was assessed. Three experiments are presented featuring manipulations of the arrangement and the density of the local elements of the stimuli. The results showed a clear advantage for local level processing in this species, which is robust under manipulations of the density of the local elements of the stimuli. By contrast, accuracy in global processing was linearly affected by the density of the component elements. Our results support those from other studies where a superiority for the processing of local information in hierarchical figures emerged in animals. These findings present a further challenge to the generality of early claims concerning the adaptive value of global advantage in the processing of hierarchical visual patterns.