Origins of Intelligence The Evolution of Cognitive Development in Monkeys, Apes, and Humans

About this book

Drawing evidence from scores of studies on monkeys, great apes, and human children, this book provides unique insights into ontogenetic constraints that have interacted with selective forces to shape the evolution of cognitive development in our lineage.

Reviews
"The authors' elegant theory and comprehensive empirical synthesis of how the development of human intelligence and brain evolved opens up cascading heuristic avenue for creatively answering one of the great questions in the human history of ideas."--Jonas Langer, Human Development

"[Origins of Intelligence is] worthy of a prominent place on the researcher's shelf . . . A handy source of information on comparative cognitive abilities related to life history and brain variables."--James Anderson, Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute

"Parker and McKinney's attempt to address the Origins of Intelligence is to be welcomed. Although the 'glittering prize' for unraveling the evolutionary history of modern human intelligence is probably still unclaimed, the authors' broad integration of ontogenetic, comparative, and evolutionary evidence is an approach that holds much promise. If you are interested in the evolution of primate cognition (whether a primatologist, paleoanthropologist, psychologist, etc.) you should read Origins of Intelligence."--Melissa A. Panger, Journal of Human Evolution

"A fascinating and elegantly crafted book. Seminal reading for anyone interested in how our cognitive development is inextricably linked with our evolutionary heritage. The authors argue clearly and convincingly that recapitulation is alive and well in the evolution of our brain."--Kenneth J. McNamara, Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences, Western Australian Museum

Contents

Contents: Preface Acknowledgments Introduction PART I COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT IN HUMAN AND NONHUMAN PRIMATES Comparative Developmental Studies of Primate Cognition Development of Physical Cognition in Children, Apes, and Monkeys Development of Logical-Mathematical Cognition in Children, Apes, and Monkeys Development of Social Cognition in Children, Apes, and Monkeys Development of Language in Young Children and Apes Comparing Primate Cognition across Domains: Integration or Isolation? Cognitive Development in the Context of Life History PART II THE EVOLUTION OF COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT Development and Evolution: A Primer The Evolution of Human Mental Development Cognitive Adaptations of Apes and Humans Comparing Adaptive Scenarios for Primate Cognition The Evolution and Development of the Brain Cognitive Complexity and Progress in Evolution References Index

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Biography

Sue Taylor Parker is a professor of anthropology at Sonoma State University in Rohnert Park, California. Her works include "Language" and Intelligence in Monkeys and Apes, Self-Awareness in Animals and Humans, Reaching into Thought, and Naming Our Ancestors. Michael L. McKinney is an associate professor of geological sciences at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and author of several books, including Heterochrony.