humans have evolved specialized skills of social cognition: the cultural intelligence hypothesis...

Humans Have Evolved Specialized Humans Have Evolved Specialized Skills of Social Cognition: The Skills of Social Cognition: The

Cultural Intelligence HypothesisCultural Intelligence HypothesisAshley AllenAshley Allen

Marisa MolinaMarisa Molina

Herrman, E., Call, J. Hernandez-Lloreda, M.V., Hare, B., Tomasello, M. (2007). Humans Have Evolved Specialized Skills of Social Cognition: The Cultural

Intelligence Hypothesis. Science, 317, 1360-1366.

Video ClipVideo Clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHWXYeElJWUhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHWXYeElJWU



Introduction

Herrman, E., Call, J. Hernandez-Lloreda, M.V., Hare, B., Tomasello, M. (2007). Humans Have Evolved Specialized Skills of Social Cognition: The

Cultural Intelligence Hypothesis. Science, 317, 1360-1366.

How and why have humans evolved such large How and why have humans evolved such large brains?brains?

~ The General Intelligence Hypothesis~ The General Intelligence Hypothesis With large brains humans can do numerous With large brains humans can do numerous

cognitive cognitive tasks better than other species. tasks better than other species.

~ The Ecological Intelligence Hypothesis ~ The Ecological Intelligence Hypothesis It is the environment that humans lived in that It is the environment that humans lived in that

made made their cognitive abilities evolve. their cognitive abilities evolve.

~ The Social Intelligence Hypothesis ~ The Social Intelligence Hypothesis With a complex social life primate cognition had With a complex social life primate cognition had

to to evolve. evolve. ~ ~ The Cultural Intelligence HypothesisThe Cultural Intelligence Hypothesis Young children who have not be formally educated Young children who have not be formally educated

should have the same physical cognition as apes, should have the same physical cognition as apes, but but their skills of social cognition should be their skills of social cognition should be distinctly human.distinctly human.

Methods



ParticipantsParticipants1. 105 human children (52 males & 53 females; 2.5 years old)1. 105 human children (52 males & 53 females; 2.5 years old)2. 106 chimpanzees (53 males & 53 females; 10 years old)2. 106 chimpanzees (53 males & 53 females; 10 years old)3. 32 orangutans (17 males & 15 females; 6 years old)3. 32 orangutans (17 males & 15 females; 6 years old)

ProcedureProcedure--The Primate Cognition Test Battery (PCTB)- Measured physical and social The Primate Cognition Test Battery (PCTB)- Measured physical and social cognition levels of all participants.cognition levels of all participants.-6 scales made up the two domains in the measure-6 scales made up the two domains in the measure *Domain: Physical *Domain: Physical 1 1stst Scale- Space, 2 Scale- Space, 2ndnd Scale- Quantities, 3 Scale- Quantities, 3rdrd Scale- Causality Scale- Causality *Domain: Social *Domain: Social 1 1stst Scale- Social Learning, 2 Scale- Social Learning, 2ndnd Scale- Communication, 3 Scale- Communication, 3rdrd Scale- Theory Scale- Theory of Mind of Mind

Results



Physical DomainPhysical DomainThe human children and chimpanzees had around The human children and chimpanzees had around the same proportion of correct responses while the same proportion of correct responses while

the orangutans had slightly lower scores.the orangutans had slightly lower scores.

Social DomainSocial Domain The human children participants performed The human children participants performed

better than the chimpanzee and the better than the chimpanzee and the orangutan orangutan participants, and again the participants, and again the orangutans orangutans performed the worst. performed the worst.

Adapted from Herrmann et. al, 2007, p.1362Adapted from Herrmann et. al, 2007, p.1362



0.680.68

0.59

0.74

0.360.33

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

Physical Social

Human

Chimpanzee

Orangutan

Discussion



*The study supported the cultural intelligence hypothesis which *The study supported the cultural intelligence hypothesis which states that human beings have evolved some distinct social-states that human beings have evolved some distinct social-cognitive skills for surviving and communicating in cultural cognitive skills for surviving and communicating in cultural groups.groups. *Herrman et al. stated that some researchers may critique the *Herrman et al. stated that some researchers may critique the study’s approach to measuring social cognition in both primates study’s approach to measuring social cognition in both primates and humans.and humans.* The PCTB can be used in future research to identify the * The PCTB can be used in future research to identify the evolution of cognitive skills across all primate species.evolution of cognitive skills across all primate species.

Critical Review



Pros: Pros: * The same experimenter tested the participants throughout the entire * The same experimenter tested the participants throughout the entire study. study. * All subjects were not informed about the tests from the test battery. * All subjects were not informed about the tests from the test battery. * Other constructs that might have an influence on the results in the study * Other constructs that might have an influence on the results in the study were controlled. were controlled.Cons:Cons: * There were less orangutan participants in the study compared to both * There were less orangutan participants in the study compared to both the human and chimpanzee participants. the human and chimpanzee participants. * The testing time frame was not kept consistent throughout the study for * The testing time frame was not kept consistent throughout the study for all participants. all participants. * Since the design of the experiment was created by humans the human * Since the design of the experiment was created by humans the human children participants had a better chance of succeeding in the tasks. children participants had a better chance of succeeding in the tasks.

Test QuestionsMultiple Choice:Multiple Choice:1)The participants in the study consisted of:1)The participants in the study consisted of: a) humans, chimps, and bonobos a) humans, chimps, and bonobos b) humans, chimps, and orangutans b) humans, chimps, and orangutans c) chimps, bonobos, and orangutans c) chimps, bonobos, and orangutans d) gorillas, orangutans, and humans d) gorillas, orangutans, and humans2) Which scale was 2) Which scale was notnot apart of the physical cognition domain? apart of the physical cognition domain? a) space a) space b) quantities b) quantities c) social learning c) social learning d) causality d) causality 3) What did the Primate Cognition Test Battery (PCTB) measure?3) What did the Primate Cognition Test Battery (PCTB) measure? a) social cognition a) social cognition b) physical cognition b) physical cognition c) both a and b c) both a and b d) none of the above d) none of the aboveTrue or False:True or False:4) (T/F) There was only one experimenter present in the study.4) (T/F) There was only one experimenter present in the study.5) (T/F) The cultural intelligence hypothesis is an extension from the primate social intelligence 5) (T/F) The cultural intelligence hypothesis is an extension from the primate social intelligence hypothesis.hypothesis.6) (T/F) The orangutans performed better than the chimpanzees in the physical cognition 6) (T/F) The orangutans performed better than the chimpanzees in the physical cognition domain.domain.

humans have evolved specialized skills of social cognition: the cultural intelligence hypothesis...

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