Cognition
HERRMANN, 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. HTTP://DX.DOI.ORG/10.1126/SCIENCE.
1146282
WEEK 7 –MCKENNY HOUCK, MICKELL LETHCO, MELANIE SEYARTO
What is the difference between
humans and primates?
Humans

Language

Symbolic mathematics

Scientific reasoning

Larger brain
Primates

Limited language

Limited symbolic Mathematics

No scientific reasoning

Smaller brain
Herrmann, 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. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1146282
Why?
What was different in our environment that
caused us to need to develop these cognitive
abilities?
Herrmann, 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. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1146282
Why do humans have more
cognitive abilities?
General
Intelligence
Larger brains enable more
efficient cognitive operations in
humans than in other species.
Adapted
Intelligence
Cultural
Intelligence
Cognitive abilities adapted to
deal with challenges in the
ancestral environment
Cognition is the result of the
development of many different
social and cultural groups
Herrmann, 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. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1146282
How did primates develop
cognitive abilities?
Ecological
Intelligence
Social
Intelligence
Cognition was primarily shaped
by environmental challenges
such as collecting resources
Cognition was primarily shaped
by development of social
groups and challenges of
competition and cooperation
Herrmann, 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. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1146282
Method


Primate Cognition Battery Test (PCBT) – two parts

Physical Cognition: Space, quantities, causality

Social Cognition: Social learning, communication, theory of mind
Participants

Chimpanzees

Orangutans

Human Children (age 2.5 years)
Herrmann, 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. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1146282
Results – Physical Cognition

Physical
Humans and Chimps score
higher in physical cognition
than orangutans
1
0.9
0.8
Proportion correct
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
Human
Chimpanzee
Orangutan
Graphic adapted from Herrmann, 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. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1146282
Results – Social Cognition
Social
Humans scored higher than
chimps and orangutans on social
cognition tests
1.2
1
Proportion correct

0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
Human
Chimpanzee
Orangutan
Graphic adapted from Herrmann, 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. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1146282
Results – Social Cognition

Human children were more skillful than both ape species on all three
social scales
Theory of Mind
Communication
1
1
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.8
0.8
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
Proportion correct
1
Proportion correct
Proportion correct
Social Learning
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
Human
Chimpanzee
Orangutan
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.1
0
0.7
0
0
Human
Chimpanzee
Orangutan
Human
Chimpanzee
Orangutan
Graphic adapted from Herrmann, 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. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1146282
Discussion - Implications
General
Intelligence
Larger brains enable more
efficient cognitive operations in
humans than in other species.
Adapted
Intelligence
Cultural
Intelligence
Cognitive abilities adapted to
deal with challenges in the
ancestral environment
Cognition is the result of the
development of many different
social and cultural groups
Herrmann, 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. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1146282
Chimpanzee Problem Solving By Cooperation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGFKGK7_7J0
Discussion – Critical Review Items

There are few differences in cognition due to gender and individual
differences

Difficult to determine if the tests were equally appropriate for both
apes and human children

Does not respond to the adapted intelligence hypothesis
Herrmann, 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. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1146282
Questions?