Evolution of Human Intelligence: The Roles of Brain Size and Mental Construction

Vol. 59, No. 1-2, 2002

Free Abstract Article (Fulltext) Article (PDF 91 KB)

The Evolution of Intelligence: Brain, Behavioral and Computational Approaches
21st Annual Krost Symposium. Seguin, Tex., March 22-23, 2001
Guest Editor: Scott Bailey, Seguin, Tex.

Paper

Evolution of Human Intelligence: The Roles of Brain Size and Mental Construction
Kathleen R. Gibson

Department of Basic Sciences, University of Texas - Houston, Dental Branch, Houston, Tex., USA

Address of Corresponding Author

Brain Behav Evol 2002;59:10-20 (DOI: 10.1159/000063730)

Key Words

Intelligence
Language
Human
Primate
Mammal brain size
Mental construction
Motor skills

Abstract

Two competing philosophical paradigms characterize approaches to the evolution of the human mind. One postulates continuity between animal and human behavioral capacities. The other assumes that humans and animals are separated by major qualitative behavioral and mental gaps. This paper presents a continuity model that suggests that expanded human mental capacities primarily reflect the increased information processing capacities of the enlarged human brain including the enlarged neocortex, cerebellum, and basal ganglia. These increased information processing capacities enhance human abilities to combine and recombine highly differentiated actions, perceptions, and concepts in order to construct larger, more complex, and highly variable behavioral units in a variety of behavioral domains including language, social intelligence, tool-making, and motor sequences. Environmental input, including self-generated input, interacts with mental constructional capacities to assure that developing humans acquire species-typical and culturally-specific behavioral patterns. This mental constructional model is compatible with our current understanding of differences between human and non-human primate brains, of human brain plasticity, and of the minimal genetic differences between humans and chimpanzees.

Author Contacts

Kathleen R. Gibson
Department of Basic Sciences
University of Texas - Houston, Dental Branch
PO Box 20068, Houston, TX 77225 (USA)
Tel. +1 713 500 4513, Fax +1 713 500 4500, E-Mail kgibson@mail.db.uth.tmc.edu

Article Information

Number of Print Pages : 11
Number of Figures : 0, Number of Tables : 0, Number of References : 74

Medline Abstract (ID 12097857)

Download Citation

Special offer for members of the J.B. Johnston Club

This journal is part of the first subject package of the Karger

Journal Archive Collection

Information on packages (PDF)
Free sample issues

For non-native English speakers and international authors who would like assistance with their writing before submission, we suggest American Journal Experts for their research paper editing service.