Biological psych 3: Comparative cognition (Lec 27)

Question 1

Why might musical ability and dancing be signs of fitness?

Answer 1

Because they’re spandrels!

Question 2

What is phylogony?

Answer 2

Inherited traits/ features

Question 3

Transferral of learnt skills: Rats, squirrels and rhesus monkeys, which excel?

Answer 3

Rhesus monkeys

Question 4

What is the null hypothesis of intelligence?

Answer 4

It’s not possible to measure intelligence because difference measured could be due to a difference in perception or motivation rather than intelligence itself

Question 5

What is the guilty look in dogs?

Answer 5

Submissive look

Question 6

What is Morgan’s Canon of Interpretation?

Answer 6

If a behaviour can be explained by some ‘simple’ psychological motivation, we can’t presume it’s more complicated.

Question 7

What is comparitive psychology?

Answer 7

Comparing psychology inter-species

Question 8

What is comparitive psychology?

Answer 8

The psychological study of non-human animals, with interest in phylogenetic history, adaptive significance, and development of behavior.

Question 9

What is Morgan’s Canon of Interpretation, and how did he update it?

Answer 9

If a behaviour can be explained by some ‘simple’ psychological motivation, we can’t presume it’s more complicated.

However, if there is already evidence of ‘higher-proceses’ involved in some cognitive motivation, then we should continue to assume this higher intelligence.

Question 10

At what age to human children surpass chimpanzees level of intelligence?

Answer 10

About 4

Question 11

Perspective taking: New angle

Name 2 aspects

Answer 11

Perspective of the self in the future

“the whole is diff from the sum of it’s parts’

Question 12

Self recognition: What is the diff b/ween dogs, cats and primates?

Answer 12

Primates will initially think their reflection is another primate, but then they’ll realise it’s not them

Question 13

Define conspecific

Answer 13

Belonging to the same species

Question 14

What age does theory of mind kick in for human children?

Answer 14

5 y/old

Question 15

Do great apes pass the false belief test?

Answer 15

Yep!

Question 16

Define T.O.M. / mental perspective taking

Answer 16

Theory of mind: Understanding that diff ppl have diff perspectives

Question 17

What is the false belief test?

Answer 17

eg does ape understand that person B does not know that person A moved the location of the banana while person B was out of the room?

Question 18

How do children w Autism and children w specific language impairments fare on the false belief test?

Answer 18

Children w Autism fail the test, whereas children w SLI pass (as do great apes, also no language [shraed w humans])!

Question 19

How do children w Autism and children w specific language impairments fare on the false belief test?

Answer 19

Children w Autism fail the test, whereas children w SLI pass (as do great apes, also no language [shared w humans])!

Question 20

Why do we need T.O.M/ perspective taking, from an evolutionary perspective (fitness)?

Answer 20

1. • reciprocal altruism; we need to figure out what others need so that we can barter (something that is of low value to us but high value to the recipient of barter)
2. so that we can ‘cheat’, eg apes will have sex with an ape who has a diff partner when they can see that that apes partner is not around

Question 21

Name 5 of Darwin’s major influencers on Psychology

Answer 21

• Continuity between species
– Comparative psychology

• Instinctive behaviours
– Major influence on James, Freud, ethology

• Developmental theory
– Progress through stages of development

• Morals
– Adaptive significance of behaviour rather than theological doctrine

• Individual differences
– Study of the variation between individuals

Question 22

Define ethology

Answer 22

the science of animal behaviour.

the study of human behaviour and social organization from a biological perspective.