Reconciling genetic evolution and the associative learning account of mirror neurons through data-acquisition mechanisms.
An associative learning account of mirror neurons should not preclude genetic evolution of its underlying mechanisms. On the contrary, an associative learning framework for cognitive development should seek heritable variation in the learning rules and in the data-acquisition mechanisms that construct associative networks, demonstrating how small genetic modifications of associative elements can give rise to the evolution of complex cognition.
Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 69978, Israel. lotem@post.tau.ac.il orenkolodny@gmail.com http://www.tau.ac.il/~lotem.
Arnon
A
Lotem
Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 69978, Israel. lotem@post.tau.ac.il orenkolodny@gmail.com http://www.tau.ac.il/~lotem.
Oren
O
Kolodny
D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D059167:Mirror Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D012938:Social Perception