Looking and Seeing: On the Abilities of Primates to Detect the Gaze and Attribute Visual Attention

Vision is probably one of the most important functions of advanced organisms. When we look at objects, we not only detect their physical parameters but also are able to think about these objects and make complex conclusions. When we see another person looking somewhere, we are also able to understand that he or she focuses on some object and probably thinks about that. To what extent primates’ vision is similar to ours? In other words, are they able to perceive others looking and understand what they are looking at? This work attempts to address the argument about the existence of gaze detection in primates. I subject to critical analysis the most well known scientific papers in the field of primatology as well as provide parallels with the studies of human gaze. In order to understand the concept of gaze I will distinguish between gaze and visual attention and pr ovide definitions of both concepts drawn from what we know about “gaze” as humans. Generally, I will try to answer and expand some of the questions posed by Keeley [1]. In particular I will address the question “Is it true that some animals follow gaze without attributing mental states to others?”