General intelligence does not help us understand cognitive evolution

Article

Shuker, D., Barrett, L., Dickins, T., Scott-Phillips, T. and Barton, R. 2017. General intelligence does not help us understand cognitive evolution. Behavioral and Brain Sciences: An International Journal of Current Research and Theory with Open Peer Commentary. 40. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X16001771
TypeArticle
TitleGeneral intelligence does not help us understand cognitive evolution
AuthorsShuker, D., Barrett, L., Dickins, T., Scott-Phillips, T. and Barton, R.
Abstract

Burkart et al. conflate the domain-specificity of cognitive processes with the statistical pattern of variance in behavioural measures that partly reflect those processes. General intelligence is a statistical abstraction, not a cognitive trait, and we argue that the former does not warrant inferences about the nature or evolution of the latter.

Research GroupBehavioural Biology group
PublisherCambridge University Press
JournalBehavioral and Brain Sciences: An International Journal of Current Research and Theory with Open Peer Commentary
ISSN0140-525X
Electronic1469-1825
Publication dates
PrintJan 2017
Online15 Aug 2017
Publication process dates
Deposited30 Jan 2018
Output statusPublished
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X16001771
Web of Science identifierWOS:000429919100024
LanguageEnglish
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