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Learning & Cognition

Learning & Cognition. Klix, Friedhart. (2001). The Evolution of Cognition. Structural Learning & Intelligence Systems, 14, 415-432. By Clare Bielecki, Nicole Shokralla, and Nicole Paine For Dr. Mills ’ Psyc 452 class, Fall, 2007. Cognition.

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Learning & Cognition

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  1. Learning & Cognition Klix, Friedhart. (2001). The Evolution of Cognition. Structural Learning & Intelligence Systems, 14, 415-432. By Clare Bielecki, Nicole Shokralla, and Nicole Paine For Dr. Mills’ Psyc 452 class, Fall, 2007

  2. Cognition • Cognition can be understood once we consider how our evolution has equipped us with tools to learn different things in different ways • How has evolution equipped us? • In the Pleistocene Age higher species able to adjust to temperature and environmental changes - which passed on their higher cognitive abilities

  3. How Did Our Minds Survive? • Through groups working together • Required communication: sounds, gestures, and language • Development of tools • Expanding greater living spaces • Further strategies for life had to be incorporated which meant a need for higher cognition

  4. Miocene Era • Brain volume increases from 350 cm3 to 1500 cm3 - which shows cognitive evolution • Adapted mechanisms for walking upright • Development of Tools • Methods of making them • Technological advancements • Advances in problem solving

  5. Increases in Cognitive Abilities • Learning Sensory Experiences • Committing landmarks to memory • CNS now capable of memory encoding • Adaptation of realizing an imagined goal • Social Advancements • Group cohesion • Adapted new mechanisms for sound recognition

  6. Learning • Communication: • Prior to language development, sounds and gestures become associated with objects (discrimination learning) • Development of Language: • Cro-Magnons attached physical properties to sounds to characterize objects (i.e. “scrape” for cutting)

  7. Language • Three Modes: • (1) Properties of object identified and compared using adjectives • (2) Characterized different functions of objects using verbs • (3) Explained sequence of particular action

  8. Brain & Learning • Broca’s Area: • Language processing, speech production, and comprehension • Wernicke’s Area: • Specialized language skills, understanding and comprehension of spoken language

  9. Conclusion • Homo-erectus survived out of these eras; showed cognitive abilities to adapt to environment and use group dynamics to learn a language using verbs and adjectives to describe objects • Brain growth is proof of developing higher learning adaptations and cognitive abilities

  10. Critical Review • Interesting Points: • During the Miocene Era, the brain volume of primates increased from 350 cm3 to 1400-1550 cm3 • The progression of language (sounds/gestures to verbs/adjectives) • Homo-erectus likely had the same type of language as one with Broca's aphasia • Critiques: • Too in-depth about Broca’s and Wernicke's areas of the brain then necessary • More research statistics and findings • Discussed of learning written language on top of evolved spoken language would have enhanced argument

  11. References • Klix, Friedhart. (2001). The Evolution of Cognition. Structural Learning & Intelligence Systems, 14, 415-432.

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