Through centuries, as the essential human distinctions; reason, intelligence, understanding, memory, biology and consciousness had been hold. However, it seems now that consciousness is the last stronghold of human kind. But might animals also have some elements of this qualification? Many researches and psychologists seek to find out the answer of this question. After dozens of experimental process, some of them started believing that animals have most requirements so as to be called as conscious but there are still some researches and psychologists who believe animals only have self-awareness and this is not enough to be regarded as conscious because they are not able to empathize with each others. However, after taking the actual prerequisites for consciousness such as overcoming different problems, being aware of oneself and others and understanding that others also have mental states and thoughts into consideration, consciousness also is not the essential human distinction.
One of the signs of consciousness could be problem solving abilities and in the process of comparing this ability, it can not be assumed that only human animal has this qualification.
Human cheek cells
Human cheek cells
English: Neural Correlates Of ConsciousnessIn order to clarify this assumption the perseveration concept should be examined. Obeying one command and then performing the same action even when a different command is given (http://www.seslisozluk.com/) is called perseveration. Perseveration might have an efficient role so as to derive the problem solving abilities of human animal and animals. That is because in order to deal with a problem, in order to get rid of a problem, problem must be evaluated in different perspectives and being perseverative might prevents both species from having a this sort of ability. According to neurobiological studies, "...the ability to overcome [perseveration] in the prefrontal cortex, a part of the brain that is much enlarged in humans" (qtd.in Are our primate cousins 'conscious' 2).