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Bonobo’s Capacity for Imagination Challenges Foundational Assumptions in Cognitive Science

February 2026 — Research published in the journal Science has produced what researchers describe as “game-changing” evidence that a bonobo named Kanzi possesses the cognitive architecture necessary for imaginative pretend play—a finding with profound implications for our understanding of animal consciousness and the boundaries of human exceptionalism.

The Cognitive Significance of Pretend Play

By approximately age two, human children demonstrate the capacity to navigate imaginary scenarios: hosting tea parties with empty cups while maintaining full awareness that no actual tea exists. This ability—termed “secondary representation” by developmental psychologists—involves decoupling an imagined or simulated state from objective reality, a cognitive feat previously presumed to be the exclusive domain of Homo sapiens.

The research team at Johns Hopkins University, led by Christopher Krupenye and Amalia Bastos, sought to rigorously test whether this capacity extends to our closest living relatives.

Methodological Rigor

The researchers conducted three distinct experimental protocols with Kanzi, a 43-year-old bonobo residing at the Ape Initiative. Kanzi’s extensive enculturation—including his ability to comprehend spoken English and communicate via a lexigram system comprising more than 300 symbols—made him an ideal subject for testing sophisticated cognitive abilities.

The first experiment employed a paradigm in which researchers pantomimed pouring juice from an empty transparent pitcher into one of two empty transparent cups, then pretended to empty that cup back into the pitcher. When prompted to identify the location of the “juice,” Kanzi selected the correct cup in 68 percent of trials—a statistically significant deviation from chance performance.

Crucially, a subsequent experiment controlled for the possibility that Kanzi might believe the cups contained actual juice. When offered a choice between real juice and imaginary juice, Kanzi demonstrated clear preference for the genuine article nearly 78 percent of the time, confirming his ability to distinguish between pretense and reality while simultaneously engaging with both.

Addressing Historical Skepticism

Prior observations of apparent pretend behavior in apes—such as chimpanzees dragging imaginary blocks or treating sticks as infant surrogates—had been met with methodological skepticism. Critics argued such behaviors might merely reflect responses to subtle behavioral cues rather than genuine imaginative capacity.

The present study’s use of transparent containers and controlled conditions addresses these concerns directly. “Kanzi is able to generate an idea of this pretend object and at the same time know it’s not real,” observed Bastos, now affiliated with the University of St. Andrews.

Redefining Human Exceptionalism

The implications of these findings extend beyond academic cognitive science. As Krupenye noted, the discovery invites fundamental reconsideration of “what makes us special and what mental life is out there among other creatures.”

The parallel to Jane Goodall’s groundbreaking observation that chimpanzees manufacture and use tools—which precipitated a wholesale revision of the definition of humanity—is deliberate. If imagination is no longer an exclusively human trait, the philosophical and ethical ramifications warrant serious contemplation.

The researchers acknowledge that Kanzi’s exceptional enculturation may limit generalizability, and future research will examine whether apes without such extensive human exposure demonstrate comparable capacities.

Vocabulary Help

• cognitive architecture = the underlying mental structures that enable thinking and reasoning
• decoupling = separating or disconnecting two related things
• enculturation = the process of learning and adopting a culture’s norms and practices
• paradigm = a standard model or pattern for conducting research
• ramifications = the consequences or implications of an action or event

Grammar Focus

• Nominalization: “This ability—termed secondary representation—involves…”
• Complex conditionals: “If imagination is no longer exclusively human, the implications warrant contemplation.”
• Concessive clauses: “While critics argued such behaviors might reflect cues, the present study addresses these concerns.”