title: A modular mind? A test using individual data from seven primate species.
abstract: It has long been debated whether the mind consists of specialized and independently evolving modules, or whether and to what extent a general factor accounts for the variance in performance across different cognitive domains. In this study, we used a hierarchical Bayesian model to re-analyse individual level data collected on seven primate species (chimpanzees, bonobos, orangutans, gorillas, spider monkeys, brown capuchin monkeys and long-tailed macaques) across 17 tasks within four domains (inhibition, memory, transposition and support). Our modelling approach evidenced the existence of both a domain-specific factor and a species factor, each accounting for the same amount (17%) of the observed variance. In contrast, inter-individual differences played a minimal role. These results support the hypothesis that the mind of primates is (at least partially) modular, with domain-specific cognitive skills undergoing different evolutionary pressures in different species in response to specific ecological and social demands.
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative and Developmental Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany. abbepu@yahoo.it
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Amici
authors.forename: Bradley
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Barney
authors.forename: Valen E
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Josep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Call
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aureli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D053819:Atelinae; D002428:Cebus; D005260:Female; D006071:Gorilla gorilla; D007206:Individuality; D008297:Male; D008606:Mental Processes; D008960:Models, Psychological; D019974:Pan paniscus; D002679:Pan troglodytes; D057079:Pongo; D011323:Primates / Q000523:psychology*