Modeling the Learning and Use of Probability Distributions in Chimpanzees and Humans

We present a neural-network computational model of a recent experiment revealing that chimpanzees show some ability to reason probabilistically. Specifically, we show that the neural probability learner and sampler (NPLS) system can account for both success by chimpanzees and better performance by human controls. NPLS effectively combines learning probability distributions with sampling from those learned distributions to guide action choices. Because NPLS also simulates learning and use of probability distributions by human infants, this brings us closer to a unifying model of probabilistic reasoning, across various age groups and species