Comparative Cognition Lecture Flashcards
(16 cards)
What is convergent selection?
When natural selection comes up with the same idea more than once
What are analogous traits?
Similar traits that two animals share as a result convergent evolution
What are homologous traits?
Similar traits that two animals share as a result of being related
What is comparative cognition?
The study of thought in other animals
What is Anthropocentrism?
Judging animals by human values
What is anthropomorphism?
The attribution of human traits, emotions and intentions to animals
Three types of primates include?
Social primates
Maternal primates
Foraging primates
What isDunbars number and what does it measure?
150
Predicting the natural human group size from human neocortex ratio
The importance of gaze in animals
If in the gaze of an animal more superior, subordinate less likely to take food or hide mating
When do intention cells in macaque respond?
Only when a peer acts on an object and is looking at it
What is the intentional stance?
Describing something in terms of mental activities in order to successfully predict its behaviour
The 4 mechanisms of social learning
Contagion
Stimulus enhancement
Imitation
Goal emulation
What is contagion?
When an action in animals is automatically released by seeing a peer perform it
What is stimulus enhancement?
Social processes make a stimulus salient but appropriate actions in it are learned by trial and error so no imitation
Imitation is…
Copying seen actions
Two action task
What is goal emulation?
Subject infers models goals and customises its own actions, removing models idiosyncrasies and replacing with its own
