The evolutionary origins of cognitive control
1Department of Psychology, University of Basel.
Topics in Cognitive Science
|August 29, 2014
Summary
Cognitive control involves domain-general attention for action planning, originating in ancient foraging behaviors. Domain-specific processes, like social cognition, may support this general attentional system.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Evolutionary Psychology
- Comparative Cognition
Background:
- The debate on domain-specific versus domain-general cognitive control processing continues.
- Stout (2010) proposed two components: hierarchical action plan coordination and social cognition.
- Understanding the evolutionary origins of cognitive control is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present evidence for a domain-general attentional process in coordinating hierarchical action plans.
- To explore the evolutionary origins of cognitive control, tracing it to early foraging behaviors.
- To discuss criteria for identifying additional domain-specific cognitive control mechanisms.
Main Methods:
- Comparative evolutionary analysis.
- Review of molecular and experimental evidence.
- Theoretical discussion on cognitive control components.
Main Results:
- Evidence supports a domain-general attentional process for hierarchical action plan coordination.
- This control processing likely originated in dynamic foraging behaviors predating vertebrate-invertebrate divergence.
- Proposed social cognition processes may serve as a source of emotional information for the hierarchical system.
Conclusions:
- A domain-general attentional mechanism is fundamental for coordinating hierarchical action plans.
- The evolutionary roots of this mechanism are ancient, linked to basic survival behaviors.
- Further research is needed to delineate the role and evidence for domain-specific control processes.
Keywords:
Comparative biologyDopamineEvolutionary psychologyExecutive controlForagingSocial evolutionMore Related Videos
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