Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Cognitivism01:17

Cognitivism

1.4K
Cognitive psychology emerged as a significant field in the mid-20th century. It focused on understanding humans' internal mental processes. This approach emphasizes how people perceive, remember, think, and solve problems—elements critical to human cognition.
Previously dominated by behaviorism, which prioritized observable behaviors and largely ignored mental processes, psychology transformed in the 1950s. Cognitive psychologists argue that understanding how we think and process...
1.4K
Introduction to Cognitive Psychology01:20

Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

462
Cognitive psychology is the field of psychology dedicated to examining how people think. It attempts to explain how and why we think the way we do by studying the interactions among human thinking, emotion, creativity, language, and problem-solving, as well as other cognitive processes. Cognitive psychology studies how information is processed and manipulated in remembering, thinking, and knowing.
This field emerged in the mid-20th century, following a period dominated by behaviorism, which...
462
The Nativist Approach01:21

The Nativist Approach

40
The nativist approach to infant cognitive development proposes that infants are born with inherent knowledge structures that allow them to interpret the world almost immediately. This perspective contrasts with earlier developmental theories, such as those proposed by Jean Piaget, which emphasized a more gradual acquisition of cognitive abilities through interaction with the environment. One key concept in this approach is object permanence — the understanding that objects continue to...
40
Organization of the Brain01:30

Organization of the Brain

764
The brain is an integral component of the nervous system and serves as the center for processing sensory inputs, making decisions, and directing bodily actions. This complex organ is organized into three primary sections: the hindbrain, midbrain, and forebrain, each responsible for a range of vital functions.
Hindbrain
The hindbrain, located at the base of the brain, plays a vital role in regulating automatic processes that sustain life. It includes the medulla oblongata, which is essential for...
764
Revisionist Views of Adolescent and Adult Cognition01:24

Revisionist Views of Adolescent and Adult Cognition

31
A revisionist approach to Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development has brought new insights that challenge and reinterpret his established ideas. Piaget proposed that the formal operational stage, emerging in adolescence, represents the culmination of cognitive maturity. During this stage, individuals are said to develop abstract thinking, engage in systematic problem-solving, and show a form of egocentrism, believing others are as preoccupied with their behavior as they are...
31
Evolutionary Psychology01:20

Evolutionary Psychology

260
Evolutionary psychology explores the origins of human behavior and mental processes by framing them within the context of natural selection, a theory famously propounded by Charles Darwin. This field asserts that many behaviors common across human societies — ranging from instinctive fear reactions to complex social interactions — arose as evolutionary adaptations. These adaptations enhanced the survival and reproductive success of our ancestors, thereby becoming embedded in the...
260

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same journal

Core knowledge shapes what actions are considered and how others will perceive them.

The Behavioral and brain sciences·2026
Same journal

Cultural evolution by revealed preferences - from status signals to alien porn.

The Behavioral and brain sciences·2026
Same journal

Will cultural evolution regain its sight?

The Behavioral and brain sciences·2026
Same journal

Subjective selection needs context: Culture shapes goal selection, evaluations of usefulness, and "actual" effectiveness.

The Behavioral and brain sciences·2026
Same journal

If lullabies and hero stories are super-attractors, what are music and language? Absolute universals imply genetic mechanisms.

The Behavioral and brain sciences·2026
Same journal

Subjective selection needs socially transmitted goals and culturally evolving problems.

The Behavioral and brain sciences·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 22, 2025

Investigating the Function of Deep Cortical and Subcortical Structures Using Stereotactic Electroencephalography: Lessons from the Anterior Cingulate Cortex
09:00

Investigating the Function of Deep Cortical and Subcortical Structures Using Stereotactic Electroencephalography: Lessons from the Anterior Cingulate Cortex

Published on: April 15, 2015

12.3K

Core knowledge and its role in explaining uniquely human cognition: Some questions.

Armin W Schulz1

  • 1Department of Philosophy, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA awschulz@ku.eduhttp://people.ku.edu/~a382s825/.

The Behavioral and Brain Sciences
|June 27, 2024
PubMed
Summary

Spelke's theory emphasizes ancient core knowledge, but domain-general learning and unique human cognitive adaptations also play crucial roles in human thought processes.

More Related Videos

Experience is Instrumental in Tuning a Link Between Language and Cognition: Evidence from 6- to 7- Month-Old Infants' Object Categorization
05:35

Experience is Instrumental in Tuning a Link Between Language and Cognition: Evidence from 6- to 7- Month-Old Infants' Object Categorization

Published on: April 19, 2017

6.7K
Modeling the Functional Network for Spatial Navigation in the Human Brain
05:55

Modeling the Functional Network for Spatial Navigation in the Human Brain

Published on: October 13, 2023

1.0K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 22, 2025

Investigating the Function of Deep Cortical and Subcortical Structures Using Stereotactic Electroencephalography: Lessons from the Anterior Cingulate Cortex
09:00

Investigating the Function of Deep Cortical and Subcortical Structures Using Stereotactic Electroencephalography: Lessons from the Anterior Cingulate Cortex

Published on: April 15, 2015

12.3K
Experience is Instrumental in Tuning a Link Between Language and Cognition: Evidence from 6- to 7- Month-Old Infants' Object Categorization
05:35

Experience is Instrumental in Tuning a Link Between Language and Cognition: Evidence from 6- to 7- Month-Old Infants' Object Categorization

Published on: April 19, 2017

6.7K
Modeling the Functional Network for Spatial Navigation in the Human Brain
05:55

Modeling the Functional Network for Spatial Navigation in the Human Brain

Published on: October 13, 2023

1.0K

Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Science
  • Evolutionary Psychology
  • Developmental Psychology

Background:

  • Spelke's theory posits a central role for evolutionarily ancient core knowledge systems in human cognition.
  • This perspective has been influential but may not fully account for the breadth of human cognitive abilities.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To critically evaluate the emphasis on evolutionarily ancient core knowledge systems in Spelke's theory.
  • To explore the necessity of incorporating domain-general learning capacities and uniquely human cognitive adaptations into explanations of human thought.

Main Methods:

  • Theoretical analysis of existing cognitive theories.
  • Comparative examination of domain-specific and domain-general learning mechanisms.
  • Review of evidence for uniquely human cognitive adaptations.

Main Results:

  • The central status of evolutionarily ancient core knowledge systems in Spelke's theory warrants further discussion.
  • The existence of domain-general learning capacities is supported and should be acknowledged.
  • There is no clear evidence to refute the existence of uniquely human cognitive adaptations.

Conclusions:

  • A comprehensive understanding of human thought requires acknowledging both core knowledge systems and domain-general learning.
  • Uniquely human cognitive adaptations are likely integral to explaining human cognitive uniqueness.
  • Future theories should integrate these diverse factors for a more complete model of human cognition.