Foundations in evolutionary cognitive neuroscience

✍ Scribed by Platek S.M., Shackelford T.K. (eds.)

• Publisher: CUP
• Year: 2009
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 234
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

This book is an introduction to the emerging field of evolutionary cognitive neuroscience, a branch of neuroscience that combines the disciplines of evolutionary psychology and cognitive neuroscience. It outlines the application of cognitive neuroscientific methods (e.g., functional magnetic resonance imaging, transcranial magnetic stimulation, magneto- and electroencephalography, and the use of neuropsychiatric and neurosurgical patients) to answer empirical questions posed from an evolutionary meta-theoretical perspective. Chapters outline the basics of cognitive evolution and how the methods of cognitive neuroscience can be employed to answer questions about the presence of evolved cognitive adaptations. Written for graduate students and researchers, the book presents the major topics of study undertaken by evolutionary cognitive neuroscientists - such as language evolution, intelligence and face processing - and serves as a primer upon which to base further study in the discipline.

✦ Table of Contents

Cover......Page 1
Half-title......Page 3
Title......Page 5
Copyright......Page 6
Contents......Page 7
Contributors......Page 9
1 Introduction to evolutionary psychology: A Darwinian approach to human behavior and cognition......Page 11
The mechanisms of natural and sexual selection......Page 12
After Darwin: the Modern Synthesis and Hamilton’s inclusive fitness theory......Page 13
The products and byproducts of evolution: adaptations, byproducts, and noise......Page 14
Psychological mechanisms as information-processing modules......Page 16
Psychological mechanisms and domain specificity......Page 17
Evolutionary time lags and the environment of evolutionary adaptedness......Page 18
Ultimate and proximate explanations......Page 20
Discovering new topics and rethinking old topics......Page 21
Evolutionary psychology’s future......Page 24
Conclusion......Page 25
References......Page 26
The evolution of general fluid intelligence......Page 32
Brain volume and organization......Page 33
Encephalization quotient......Page 36
Selection pressures and brain evolution......Page 37
Psychometric research......Page 43
Cognitive research......Page 44
Neuroscience research......Page 46
Integration......Page 48
General theory......Page 49
General fluid intelligence......Page 54
Conclusion......Page 55
References......Page 56
Introduction......Page 67
The relationship between domain-specific modules and broad dimensions of individual differences......Page 68
The genetics and evolution of g......Page 81
Empirical prospects......Page 91
Conclusion......Page 98
References......Page 99
Introduction......Page 107
The processes that shape organismic architecture......Page 108
Adaptations imply domains......Page 109
Proper vs. actual domains......Page 111
Content domains and formal domains......Page 112
Are there domain-general adaptations?......Page 114
Reconciling flexibility with domain specificity......Page 117
Directions for future research......Page 120
Conclusion......Page 122
Notes......Page 123
References......Page 124
Conceptual frameworks......Page 127
From simple to complex imitation and the evolution of protolanguage......Page 128
“Design features” vs. “rules” of language......Page 131
Describing languages; learning a language......Page 132
Genotypes, brains, and social schemas......Page 134
Being deaf......Page 136
Home sign......Page 137
Two new sign languages......Page 138
A brief history of Al-Sayyid Bedouin Sign Language (ABSL)......Page 139
Emerging patterns of motion description in NSL......Page 140
Word order in Al-Sayyid Bedouin Sign Language......Page 142
The emergence of the Nicaraguan Deaf community......Page 144
The influences of culture and community......Page 147
Design features vs. innate rules......Page 149
Emerging (dyadic) sign languages......Page 153
Diffusion of communicative goals, not specific constructions......Page 155
Notes......Page 156
References......Page 157
Introduction......Page 163
There are only two fundamental aphasia syndromes......Page 164
The selection disorder......Page 165
Other aphasia syndromes......Page 166
Initial communication systems......Page 168
Second stage: lexical/semantic......Page 171
Third stage: grammar......Page 172
Two memory systems in language......Page 174
The lexical/semantic system......Page 175
Origins of the language......Page 177
Conclusions......Page 178
References......Page 179
Introduction......Page 185
Cortical areas involved in reward......Page 186
Sub-cortical regions involved in reward......Page 188
General face processing by the brain......Page 189
Core system......Page 190
Extended system......Page 191
Attractive faces......Page 192
Other relevant responses: love, sexual arousal, and sex differences......Page 193
Additions to the distributed model of face perception to process attractiveness......Page 194
Ventral tegmentum and nucleus accumbens......Page 195
Extended amygdala and thalamus/hypothalamus......Page 196
Fit with general reward structures......Page 197
Part B: Examples integrating evolution, cognition, and neuropsychology......Page 198
Attraction to specific physical traits: symmetry......Page 199
Cognition......Page 200
Evolution......Page 202
Cognition......Page 203
Summary and conclusions......Page 205
References......Page 206
Sexual jealousy and mate retention behaviors......Page 215
Sex differences in jealousy in response to a partner’s infidelity......Page 216
Sex differences in brain activations in response to sexual and emotional infidelity......Page 218
Conclusion......Page 221
References......Page 222
Index......Page 226