The Structure of Individual Differences in the Cognitive Abilities of Children and Chimpanzees

Researchers:
Esther Herrmann1,
Maria Victoria Hernández-Lloreda2,
Josep Call1,
Brian Hare3 and
Michael Tomasello1


Author Affiliations 

1Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
2Departamento de Metodología de las Ciencias del Comportamiento, Universidad Complutense de Madrid
3Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University

Esther Herrmann, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
E-mail: eherrman@eva.mpg.de

Abstract

Most studies of animal cognition focus on group performance and neglect individual differences and the correlational structure of cognitive abilities. 

Moreover, no previous studies have compared the correlational structure of cognitive abilities in nonhuman animals and humans. 

We compared the structure of individual differences of 106 chimpanzees and 105 two-year-old human children using 15 cognitive tasks that posed problems about the physical or social world. 

We found a similar factor of spatial cognition for the two species. 

But whereas the chimpanzees had only a single factor in addition to spatial cognition,

 the children had two distinct additional factors: 

1. one for physical cognition and 
2. one for social cognition. 

These findings, in combination with previous research, support the proposal that --

- humans share many cognitive skills with nonhuman apes, especially for dealing with the physical world, but in addition have evolved some specialized skills of social cognition. 

individual differences
chimpanzees
human children
social cognition
physical cognition

LINK: http://pss.sagepub.com/content/21/1/102?patientinform-links=yes&legid=sppss;21/1/102


Articles citing this article


Individual variation in cognitive performance: developmental and evolutionary perspectives Phil Trans R Soc B October 5, 2012 367: 2773-2783

Abstract
Full Text
Full Text (PDF)


Are there geniuses among the apes? Phil Trans R Soc B October 5, 2012 367: 2753-2761

Abstract
Full Text
Full Text (PDF)


Modularity, comparative cognition and human uniqueness Phil Trans R Soc B October 5, 2012 367: 2794-2802

Abstract
Full Text
Full Text (PDF)


Mate choice for cognitive traits: a review of the evidence in nonhuman vertebrates Behav Ecol May 1, 2011 22: 447-459

Abstract
Full Text
Full Text (PDF)


The evolution of primate general and cultural intelligence Phil Trans R Soc B April 12, 2011 366: 1017-1027

Abstract study: Female chimpanzee smarter than US High School Students