Generality of robust object permanence across species

Ascertain how general the robustness of object permanence is across animal species that mature more slowly and learn more flexibly than domestic chicks, by conducting cross-species studies that measure whether similar resistance to opposing evidence is observed.

Background

This paper demonstrates that newborn chicks maintain object permanence expectations despite extensive exposure to hidden violations, implying a robust inductive bias early in life. Whether this robustness extends to species with slower maturation and more flexible learning remains unclear.

Establishing cross-species generality would help characterize the universality and limits of early object-based inductive biases in development.