Ingredients for understanding brain and behavioral evolution: Ecology, phylogeny, and mechanism

Publication Type

Journal Article

Journal Name

Comparative Cognition and Behavior Reviews

Name of Author

Stephen H. Montgomer, University of Cambridge
Adrian Currie, University of Cambridge
Dieter Lukas, University of Cambridge
Neeltje Boogert, University of Exeter
Andrew Buskell, University of Cambridge
Fiona R. Cross, University of Canterbury
Sarah Jelbert, University of Cambridge
Shahar Avin, University of Cambridge
Rafael Mares, University of California, Davis
Ana F. Navarrete, University of St Andrews
Shuichi Shigeno, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn
Corina J. Logan, University of Cambridge

Publication Date

1-1-2018

Abstract

Uncovering the neural correlates and evolutionary drivers of behavioral and cognitive traits has been held back by traditional perspectives on which correlations to look for-in particular, anthropocentric conceptions of cognition and coarse-grained brain measurements. We welcome our colleagues' comments on our overview of the field and their suggestions for how to move forward. Here, we counter, clarify, and extend some points, focusing on the merits of looking for the "best" predictor of cognitive ability, the sources and meaning of "noise," and the ways in which we can deduce and test meaningful conclusions from comparative analyses of complex traits.

Keywords

Behavior, Brain measures, Cognition, Noise

Recommended Citation

Montgomer, S., Currie, A., Lukas, D., Boogert, N., Buskell, A., Cross, F., Jelbert, S., Avin, S., Mares, R., Navarrete, A., Shigeno, S., & Logan, C. (2018). Ingredients for understanding brain and behavioral evolution: Ecology, phylogeny, and mechanism. Comparative Cognition and Behavior Reviews, 13, 99-104. https://doi.org/10.3819/CCBR.2018.130011