A5065198978- Child and Animal Learning Development
- Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Animal Vocal Communication and Behavior
- Cognitive and developmental aspects of mathematical skills
- Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Language and cultural evolution
- Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior
- Neural dynamics and brain function
- Action Observation and Synchronization
- Cognitive Abilities and Testing
- Animal and Plant Science Education
- Evolutionary Game Theory and Cooperation
- Advanced Memory and Neural Computing
- Early Childhood Education and Development
- Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Behavioral and Psychological Studies
- Spatial Cognition and Navigation
- Education and Critical Thinking Development
- Cognitive Science and Mapping
- Epistemology, Ethics, and Metaphysics
- Biomedical Text Mining and Ontologies
- Identity, Memory, and Therapy
- Educational Methods and Psychological Studies
University of St Andrews
2015-2024
École Normale Supérieure - PSL
2022
Laboratoire de Sciences Cognitives et Psycholinguistique
2022
Max Planck Institute for Human Development
2020
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
2008-2015
Max Planck Society
2008-2011
Museum of Indian Arts and Culture
2010
University of Cambridge
2006-2007
Significance Although scientists have identified surprising cognitive flexibility in animals and potentially unique features of human psychology, we know less about the selective forces that favor evolution, or proximate biological mechanisms underlying this process. We tested 36 species two problem-solving tasks measuring self-control evaluated leading hypotheses regarding how why cognition evolves. Across species, differences absolute (not relative) brain volume best predicted performance...
Abstract Intelligence is suggested to have evolved in primates response complexities the environment faced by their ancestors. Corvids, a large‐brained group of birds, been undergone convergent evolution intelligence [ Emery & Clayton (2004) Science , Vol. 306, pp. 1903–1907 ]. Here we review evidence for proposal from both ultimate and proximate perspectives. While show that many proposed hypotheses evolutionary origin great ape also apply corvids, further study needed reveal selective...
Recent work has shown that captive rooks, like chimpanzees and other primates, develop cooperative alliances with their conspecifics. Furthermore, the pressures hypothesized to have favoured social intelligence in primates also apply corvids. We tested problem-solving rooks compare performance cognition primates. Without training, eight quickly solved a problem which two individuals had pull both ends of string simultaneously order food platform. Similar capuchin monkeys, was better when...
The trap-tube problem is difficult for chimpanzees to solve; in several studies only 1 2 subjects learn the solution. authors tested eight on a non-tool-using version of investigate whether inclusion tool previous tests trap may have masked ability solve it. All learned avoid trap, 40 100 trials. One transferred two tasks that had no visual cue common. examined performance 15 new task x design: seven experience two-trap box, not; half each group was with tool, without one. An ANOVA revealed...
Inferring the evolutionary history of cognitive abilities requires large and diverse samples. However, such samples are often beyond reach individual researchers or institutions, studies limited to small numbers species. Consequently, methodological site-specific-differences across can limit comparisons between Here we introduce ManyPrimates project, which addresses these challenges by providing a large-scale collaborative framework for comparative in primate cognition. To demonstrate...
Abstract Executive functions (EF) are a core aspect of cognition. Research with adult humans has produced evidence for unity and diversity in the structure EF. Studies preschoolers favour 1-factor model, which variation EF tasks is best explained by single underlying trait on all load. How structured nonhuman primates remains unknown. This study starts to fill this gap through comparative, multi-trait multi-method test battery (N = 185) chimpanzees 55). The aimed at measuring working memory...
Differences between individuals are the raw material from which theories of evolution and ontogeny cognition built. For example, when 4-year-old children pass a test requiring them to communicate content another's falsely held belief, while 3-year-olds fail, we know that something must change over course third year life. In search for what develops or evolves, typical route is probe extents limits successful individuals' ability. Another focus on those failed, find out difference lack...
Abstract Allogrooming in primates serves not only a hygienic function, but also plays crucial role maintaining strong affiliative bonds between group members, which turn, underpin the emergence of cooperative behavior. In contrast, although allopreening occurs many avian species, we know little about its social functions. Our study addresses this issue by investigating broad comparative data set including six corvid and nine parrot species. We assessed whether rates initiations, proportion...
Parrots are frequently cited for their sophisticated problem-solving abilities, but cases of habitual tool use among psittacines scarce. We report the first evidence, to our knowledge, by greater vasa parrots ( Coracopsis ). Several members a captive population spontaneously adopted novel tool-using technique using pebbles and date pits either (i) scrape on inner surface seashells, subsequently licking resulting calcium powder from tool, or (ii) as wedge break off smaller pieces shell...
A range of non-human animals frequently manipulate and explore objects in their environment, which may enable them to learn about physical properties potentially form more abstract concepts such as weight rigidity. Whether can apply the information learned during exploration solve novel problems, however, whether they actually change exploratory behaviour seek functional have not been fully explored. We allowed kea ( Nestor notabilis ) New Caledonian crows Corvus moneduloides sets both...
In recent years, there has been considerable research effort to determine whether other species exhibit prosocial motivations parallel those of humans; however, these studies have focused primarily on primates, and with mixed results. We presented captive ravens a modified choice task which aimed address several criticisms previous methods by including stringent pretraining regime set-up that disentangles motivation provision conspecific from feed next one. this six subjects received no...
Working memory (WM) is a core executive function that allows individuals to hold, process and manipulate information. WM capacity has been repeatedly nominated as key factor in human cognitive evolution; nevertheless, little known about the abilities of our closest primate relatives. In this study, we examined signatures ability chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Standard tasks for humans (Homo sapiens) often require participants continuously update their WM. Experiment 1, implemented updating...