Mosaic Evolution of Cognitive Skills in Mammals

Abstract

AbstractThe capacity to inhibit prepotent actions (inhibitory self-control) plays an important role in many aspects of the behaviour of birds and mammals. Although a number of studies have used it as an index of foraging skills, inhibition is, in fact, also crucial for maintaining the temporal and spatial coherence of bonded social groups. Using two sets of comparative data, we show that, in primates, the capacity to inhibit behaviour when making decisions correlates better with the demands of social contexts than the demands of foraging contexts. We show that the capacity to inhibit prepotent action is unique to anthropoid primates (the Passingham-Wise Conjecture) and may be crucial for the spatio-temporal integrity of their unique bonded social groups.