lecture 9 Cognition: The study of animals' mind

Question 1

Define Cognition

Answer 1

Mental transformation of sensory information into knowledge about the environment and the flexible application of knowledge

Question 2

What are the key points behind Behaviorism?

Answer 2

• All behavior is learned from the environment
• We should be concerned only with observable behaviors. Cognitive processes not important
• Behavior is the result of stimulus - response
• Learning in humans = learning in other animals

Question 3

Where is Ethology most strongly studied?

Answer 3

Especially strong in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands

Question 4

How was the early study of ethology defined?

Answer 4

Early “Classical” Ethology emphasized role of instinct and other behaviors characteristics of (and more-or-less unique to) Distinct species.

Question 5

What are Tinbergen’s 4 questions?

Answer 5

What mechanisms cause it?

How does it develop?

How did it evolve?

How does it contribute to survival?

Question 6

Define Homologous

Answer 6

Shared ancestor

Question 7

Define Analogous

Answer 7

Similar environment

Question 8

Where can cognitive tests be conducted?

Answer 8

In the lab: Better control over confounding variables

In captivity

In the wild: You can test the environmental and ecological forces that might have shaped the evolution of cognitive skills.

Question 9

List the thing to take account when devising a cognitive experiment

Answer 9

Animal’s motivation and attention

Appropriateness for animal’s skills

Control

Randomization

Remember: Absence of evidence ≠ evidence of absence

Question 10

What does the case of clever hans teach us?

Answer 10

importance of controls and blind design

Question 11

what are the costs of having a large brain?

Answer 11

Having big brain has some costs (Brain consumes 20% of energy intake)

Question 12

What are the two hypotheses behind why primates have evolved such a large brain?

Answer 12

• Social factors

- Ecological variables

Question 13

What are the benefits of sociality?

Answer 13

Predator detection

Group defence

Improved access to food and mates

Cooperation

Question 14

What are the costs of sociality?

Answer 14

Greater detection from predators

Greater disease risks

Competition over resources

Question 15

What is social brain hypothesis?

Answer 15

Competition and cooperation shape brain evolution

Question 16

List the evidence behind social brain hypothesis

Answer 16

Neocortex size correlates with group size in primates…carnivores…unglulates

In primates neocortex size also correlates with Grooming clique and mating success

In cetaceans brain size correlates with social repertoire

Question 17

List the reasons behind why sociality is driving brain evolution

Answer 17

Individual recognition

Recognition of third-party relationships

• Rank
• Kin
• Friendship (bonds)

Cooperation

• Coordination
• Theory of mind
• Social learning

Question 18

Individual recognition: What are the different contexts?

Answer 18

Mother-infant interactions

Dominance relationships

Search for mates

Social bonds

Question 19

Individual recognition: What are the different means?

Answer 19

Vision

Smell

hearing

Question 20

List the different animals that show attraction to faces since early in life

Answer 20

Both chimpanzees and rhesus macaques

Baby monkeys

Infant rhesus macaques

Including sheep

Question 21

What is Triadic awareness important for?

Answer 21

To recruit allies during fights.

Question 22

Explain Theory of the mind

Answer 22

Ability to attribute mental to others, and to understand that others have beliefs, desires, intentions, perspectives that are different from one’s own.

Question 23

name the two contexts of Theory of the mind

Answer 23

Getting/finding food

Understand other’s goals