Lecture 21 Flashcards
Cognition
The mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses.
Theory of Mind
The ability to attribute mental states—beliefs, intents, desires—to oneself and others; crucial for empathy, cooperation, and deception.
Mirror Neurons
Neurons that fire both when performing an action and when observing another performing that action—linked to imitation and learning.
Working Memory
A cognitive system responsible for temporarily holding and manipulating information, important for reasoning and guidance of decision-making.
Executive Function
Higher-level cognitive skills including problem-solving, planning, and impulse control.
Tool Use
The ability to use objects to achieve a goal; requires advanced planning and motor control.
Cumulative Culture
The process by which cultural knowledge builds over generations, becoming more complex over time.
Social Learning
Learning behaviors and skills through observation of and interaction with others.
Neocortex
The part of the brain involved in higher-order brain functions like sensory perception, cognition, and spatial reasoning.
Encephalization Quotient (EQ)
A measure of brain size relative to body size; often used as a rough proxy for intelligence.
Brain Reorganization
Evolutionary changes in the structure and function of the brain, not just size, that contribute to advanced cognition.
Prefrontal Cortex
A brain region associated with executive functions, decision making, and moderating social behavior.
Cognitive Niche
A theoretical framework suggesting that humans adapt to the environment through social learning, cooperation, and planning.
Delayed Gratification
The ability to resist an immediate reward in favor of a larger future reward; linked to self-control.
Mental Time Travel
The capacity to reflect on the past and imagine the future—key in planning and abstract thought.
Cognitive Archaeology
The study of past mental capabilities of hominins based on material culture (e.g., tools, art, dwellings).
Symbolic Thought
The capacity to use symbols, such as language and art, to represent ideas or concepts.
Innovation
The process of creating new ideas, tools, or behaviors; key to cultural evolution.
Mimetic Culture
A stage of cultural evolution where communication occurs primarily through imitation and gesture (pre-language).
Language-ready Brain
A concept suggesting the human brain has evolved structural and functional properties that predispose it to develop language.
