NBB 302 (PSYC 353)

Behavioral Neuroscience
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Class #3
Comparative Cognition

Main Points

oCognition, too, is best understood in the light of evolution

oWe will use a loose definition of cognition to connect data from

brain and behavior in a theoretically meaningful framework

grounded in evolution.
There are many potential pitfalls to this approach
Even if we avoid the pitfalls, the path is a difficult one without
an end in sight
It is the best path we havethe only path (see point #1 above)

o
o
o

Outline
What is cognition and why do we need to talk about it?
Historical perspective
Potential pitfalls and potential rewards
Adaptations and modularity in cognition?
Social cognition

Separate sensory, motor, and interneuron neurons enable more

computation

s = sensory neuron
m = motor neuron
i = interneuron
e = effector (e.g., muscle)

[note: here we are calling any neuron that is

not a sensory or motor neuron an
interneuron. Later in the semester, we will
reuse that term to refer more specifically to
local inhibitory interneurons.]

(images from Squire et al., Fundamental Neuroscience 3rd ed, chpt 2)

Interneurons open up a world of computation (and

cognition)

Mostly interneurons

Sensory and motor neurons

[note: here we are calling any neuron that is

not a sensory or motor neuron an
interneuron. Later in the semester, we will
reuse that term to refer more specifically to
local inhibitory interneurons.]

(from Chapter 2)

Brain

Ramon y Cajal (Chpt 1)

and

Behavior

Watson (Chpt 1)

Our definition of cognition

Brain

Cognition

Theoretical construct(s) connecting brain and behavior

Behavior

Outline
What is cognition and why do we need to talk about it?
Historical perspective
Potential pitfalls and potential rewards
Adaptations and modularity in cognition?
Social cognition

Influence of Darwin on scientific thought, including brain and

behavior

Data without
theory is
naturalism

(images via Smithsonian.com)

BTW, I found this on the interwebs

10

Early Psychologists thought about thinking

Wilhelm Wundt used a

form of structured
introspection to study
consciousness

(from Encyclopedia Brittanica)

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Behaviorism disallowed thinking about thinking

(from Chapter 1)

Psychology as the behaviorist views it is a

purely objective experimental branch of natural
science. Its theoretical goal is the prediction and
control of behavior. Introspection forms no
essential part of its methods, nor is the
scientific value of its data dependent upon the
readiness with which they lend themselves to
interpretation in terms of consciousness. The
behaviorist, in his efforts to get a unitary
scheme of animal response, recognizes no
dividing line between man and brute. The
behavior of man, with all of its refinement and
complexity, forms only a part of the
behaviorists total scheme of investigation.
from Psychology as the Behaviorist Views it

12

For first behaviorists, the off-limits black box was

cognition

Brain

Cognition

.Okay, so its green here

Behavior

13

Jane Goodall didnt know any better, so she assumed chimps were
thinking
Video of termite
fishing

(from janegoodall.org)

14

Cognitive psychologists said it was okay to think about thinking (but no

introspection)

(all from Chapter 1)

15

Outline
What is cognition and why do we need to talk about it?
Historical perspective
Potential pitfalls and potential rewards
Adaptations and modularity in cognition?
Social cognition

16

Anthropocentrism and Scala Naturae

A ladder of nature in
which humans are at
top (actually, near
the top, below
angels and god).

(by Alonso de Proaza in 1512)

17

Anthropomorphism

Our propensity
for
anthropomorphi
sm in two
words:
cat gifs
(grumpy cat)
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Proximate and ultimate explanations

Ultimate
original why
Proximate
current how

(from some random blog: dashofdamsel.blogspot.com)

19

New Caledonian Crows show evidence of tool use

VIDEO
What are the crows
thinking?
Does it matter?

(via www.psych.auckland.ac.nz)

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Pigeons show evidence of self awareness

VIDEO
What are the
pigeons thinking?
Does it matter?

(from Epstein, Lanza, and Skinner, Science, 1981)

21

Cultural transmission of a skill in birds?

Original study:
Fisher & Hinde,
1949

Sherry & Galef, 1990. Social learning without imitation:

More about milk bottle opening by birds

Why is this guy fishing?

(from www.fly-fishing-discounters.com)

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Some lessons

oYou are not the center of the universe or the top of the ladder
oDo not think of non-human animals as humans
oFraming explanations in evolutionary theory is good, but we
cannot truly know why a particular phenotype originally
evolved.
Examples of complex behavior can often be explained simply
Sometimes the simplest explanation is not the correct one

o
o

24

Outline
What is cognition and why do we need to talk about it?
Historical perspective
Potential pitfalls and potential rewards
Adaptations and modularity in cognition?
Social cognition

25

Clarks Nutcrackers have very good memories for where they cached
their nuts

Nucifraga columbiana

Birds showed above chance memory for

cache locations even after 285 days.
(Balda and Kamil, 1992)

Rattus Norvegicus (Brown Norway Rat, which is not from Norway)

via flikr
via www.bioterio.fm.usp.br

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Rats have a cognitive map

Eichenbaum et al, 1999

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How do rats learn the route through a maze?

Stimulus-Response learningOR

YUM!

Cognitive Map
I remember
a treat
E
W

L
R
R

E
L

Maze: Do they learn Left or West?

Train

Test

Cognitive Map

S-R

Adapted from Fundamental Neuroscience, 4th edition

Firing Rate (Hz)

Place field of an example place cell

unit 12

Firing Rate (Hz)

Another example

unit 1

Firing Rate (Hz)

Another example

unit 2

(Edvard and May Britt Moser also won in 2014 for discovery of grid cells)
From The Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet Press Release

Tunisian Desert Ants have a cognitive map?

(from idw-online.de/pages/en/image85848)

40

Outline
What is cognition and why do we need to talk about it?
Historical perspective
Potential pitfalls and potential rewards
Adaptations and modularity in cognition?
Social cognition

42

Humans are very good at thinking about what others are thinking

43

Social Brain hypothesis: big brains to think about what others are
thinking

(from Dunbar, 1998)

44

Dogs but not wolves appear to care about what humans are
thinking

Miklosi et al., Current Biology, 2003

45

Main Points

oCognition, too, is best understood in the light of evolution

oWe will use a loose definition of cognition to connect data from

brain and behavior in a theoretically meaningful framework

grounded in evolution.
There are many potential pitfalls to this approach
Even if we avoid the pitfalls, the path is a difficult one without
an end in sight
It is the best path we havethe only path (see point #1 above)

o
o
o

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