Comparative Cognition Flashcards
Define the biophilia hypothesis.
The inheritied predisposition to be drawn to or bond with nature, including other animals.
Define communication.
The process of sending and receiving a signal of some sort.
What is comparative cognition?
The study of information processing across a variety of species.
Explain delayed matching-to-sample.
A memory task where the animal is first shown a sample stimulus and then, following some delay, required to select that stimulus out of a group of alternative stimuli.
Define language.
A special category of communication which has some key features that distinguish it from other forms of communication.
Name three facets of language.
Symbols, semantics, and syntax.
Define numerosity.
An understanding of quantity.
Define reference.
The ability to associate arbitrary symbols with objects or events.
Define self-awareness.
The ability to perceive oneself as separate from others.
Define semantics.
The meaning associated with symbols.
What is a symbol?
A cue that is used to represent some experience or object that you can then share with someone else.
What is syntax?
The system of grammatical rules by which symbols are arranged, modified, and interact with one another.
Explain the theory of mind.
The tendency to impute mental states to other individuals.
What is transitive inference?
A form of reasoning where the relationship between two objects can be inferred by knowing the relationship of each to a third object.
