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Home range overlap as a driver of intelligence in primates
1School of Anatomy, Physiology and Human Biology, The University of Western Australia, Western Australia, Australia.
American Journal of Primatology
|November 22, 2014
Summary
Inter-group conflict in primates is linked to enhanced cognitive abilities, as measured by brain size. This suggests that competition between groups, not just social group size, drives cognitive evolution.
Area of Science:
- Primate cognitive evolution
- Socioecology
- Comparative psychology
Background:
- Socioecological factors influence primate cognitive capacity.
- Alexander's model posits inter-group conflict as a key driver of cognitive evolution.
- Empirical testing of this premise has been lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To empirically test if primate species facing greater inter-group conflict exhibit higher cognitive abilities.
- To investigate the relationship between inter-group conflict and cognitive capacity in primates.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of data from 104 primate species.
- Cognitive ability indexed by endocranial volume (brain size).
- Inter-group conflict approximated by home range overlap.
Main Results:
- A significant positive relationship was found between home range overlap and endocranial volume.
- This association remained significant after controlling for group size and body mass.
Conclusions:
- Inter-group conflict is a significant selective pressure favoring enhanced cognition in primates.
- Primate brain size evolution is influenced by a combination of social and ecological factors, including inter-group conflict.
- Cognitive demands of inter-group conflict involve monitoring social dynamics and spatial information.
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