John D. Bonvillian a1andFrancine G. P. Patterson a2 a1 Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904-4400
jdb5b@virginia.eduhttp:// a2 The Gorilla Foundation/koko.org, P. O. Box 620530, Woodside, CA 94062
penny@koko.orgwww.gorilla.org
Abstract
Shanker & King argue for a shift in the focus of ape language research from an emphasis on information processing to a dynamic systems approach. We differ from these authors in our understanding of how this “new paradigm” emerged and in our perceptions of its limitations. We see information processing and dynamic systems as complementary approaches in the study of communication.
