Understanding Human Cognitive Uniqueness
1School of Biology, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews KY16 9ST, United Kingdom;
Annual Review of Psychology
|January 5, 2021
Summary
Human cognitive uniqueness isn't due to one trait, but rather humans excel across many cognitive domains. Our advanced cognition results from the interconnectedness of these flexible, domain-general abilities.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Science
- Evolutionary Psychology
- Comparative Cognition
Background:
- Human intellectual superiority is a long-held belief, yet the specific cognitive traits driving this uniqueness remain unclear.
- Understanding human cognitive distinctiveness is crucial for fields ranging from artificial intelligence to developmental psychology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate candidate traits for human cognitive uniqueness, including mental time travel, tool use, problem solving, social cognition, and communication.
- To explore the role of domain generality in human cognitive performance.
- To consider the evolutionary pathways that may have led to human cognitive uniqueness.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of cognitive traits across species.
- Evaluation of candidate traits for their contribution to distinct human cognition.
- Assessment of domain generality and its impact on cognitive flexibility.
Main Results:
- No single trait explains human cognitive superiority; instead, humans exhibit enhanced capabilities across multiple cognitive domains.
- Human cognitive performance is characterized by flexibility and proficiency as 'all-rounders' rather than specialization in isolated domains.
- The interactions and reinforcement between various cognitive domains contribute significantly to overall human cognitive prowess.
Conclusions:
- Human cognitive uniqueness arises from a combination of potent capabilities across numerous domains, not a single defining trait.
- Cognitive flexibility and domain-general abilities, reinforced through interactions, are key to understanding human intellectual advantages.
- Future research should focus on the interplay between cognitive domains to fully elucidate human distinctiveness.
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