How well does the cognitive buffer hypothesis explain hominin encephalisation?

The Evolution of the Human Mind

The notion of the cognitive buffer hypothesis investigates and discusses at large the question of the hominin encephalisation. In order to test the various aspects of that idea in particular, a comparative analysis of the theories of different scholars have been conducted.

In line with the findings of other studies, the results confirmed that there is a connection, even a satisfactory explanation of the idea of the cognitive buffer hypothesis leading to hominin encephalisation. They also confirm a couple of other hypothesis highlighting the relationship of the cognitive buffer hypothesis for the evolution of large brains and to the idea that brain size predicts the success of mammal species introduced into novel environments. A couple of innovative findings concerning the relationship between the abovementioned categories have also been established and discussed at the end.

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Content

Introduction ... 3

The explanation of the cognitive buffer hypothesis towards the hominin encephalisation ... 5

Conclusions ... 5

References ... 7

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Introduction

In general, the idea of the complexity and function of mind in nature is and was highly

explored. Simply put, it contains in itself the core set of the cognitive capacities, such as

capacities for perception, internal representation of the world, memory and decision making,

as well as the function of making possible complex patterns of human behavior (Godfrey-

Smith, P. 1996). Therefore, all these opens up the possibilities of exploring the cognitive

buffer hypothesis in the explanation of the hominin encephalisation, as related to the concept

of the larger brains and the better adaptation towards the complex environmental conditions.

In fact, dealing with the complex problems of the environment by means of perception and in

brief action can be reviewed as a special case of one more complex phenomenon: flexibility

and the dealing of complexity by means of it. Hence, the place of mind within nature is

special and the idea of the adaptability towards it is special, as well.

The numerous questions triggered by the presentation of the cognitive buffer hypothesis have

led to another round of diverse studies concerning the idea of the hominin encephalisation,

broadly defined as " the amount of brain mass related or placed in comparison to the animal's

body total mass" (Jonxis, J. H. P. (1991). One of the mostly debated and investigated studies

on the issue is the one of Sol, D. (2009a), referring to the idea that the cognitive buffer

hypothesis suggests that the earliest established adaptive function of the large brain enhances

the behavioral response of the individual to the surrounding environment, as well as increases

the survival rates and benefits the longer reproductive life (Iwaniuk & Nelson 2003). The

estimates of another research of Sol, D. et all (2007) prove in general the fact that in many

wild birds populations, the species having larger brains than normal show lower rates of adult

mortality as compared to their counterparts with smaller brains. These conclusions together

with notion that large brain makes easier the behavioral response to socioecological

challenges characterizes in brief the role of the cognitive buffer hypothesis.

However, in order to establish the truthfulness of such issues, more research experiments need

to be conducted. Moreover, as noted by Lefebvre, L et all (2004) some other kinds of animals,

not only birds in particular, were capable to produce new, as well as modified behaviors

compared to others. As stated by Sol, D. et all (2007), the animals that had been surveyed by

Lefebvre, L et all (2004) and capable of producing different behavior were also in possession

of larger brains as compared to their counterparts, possessors of smaller brains. Although

there have been different types of studies on the subject the reasons why larger brains function

better than smaller ones within the wild, or in new and unknown surroundings are not well

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understood yet; despite the fact that Lefebvre, L., and D. Sol. (2008) proposed several

reasons. The theory on the subject claims that larger brains contain more neurons in their

structure that enables them to perform higher capacity for gathering, storing and incorporating

different pieces of information.

Echoing the principles that describe the abovementioned ideas Schuck-Paim, C., W. J.

Alonso, and E. B. Ottoni. (2008) have conducted a survey concerning the neotropical parrots

and the climatic variability as associated with their brain size. According to the conclusions of

that survey in particular, no matter the idea that the larger brains are generally more adaptable

to the environmental conditions and challenges, the relevant researches on the subject are still

scarce. On the contrary, the study of Schuck-Paim, C., W. J. Alonso, and E. B. Ottoni. (2008)

focuses on the Neotropical parrots and put into doubt the hypothesis that if relatively larger

brains were favored in climatically variable environments, larger-brained species should

currently tolerate a higher degree of environmental uncertainty. Interesting outcomes come

from that study in favor of the fact that there are other factors highlighting the dynamics of the

brain sizes and in brief, supporting the hypothesis that proportionally larger-brained species

are more tolerant to climatic variability, both in regards to time and space. Moreover, the

study suggests the idea the differences in the corresponding brain size among Neotropical

parrots represent diverse, recently happened events in the evolutionary history of the group,

and are particularly linked to an increased dependence on more open and climatically unstable

habitats.

Unlike the abovementioned studies where the focus was on the impact of the cognitive buffer

hypothesis towards the explanation of the hominin encephalisation and the impact of the

larger brains in particular individuals on their behavior and ways of coping of the challenges,

posed by the surrounding environment, the latter paper attempted to provide adequate

evidence on the idea whether larger brains were favored in climatically variable

environments, larger-brained species should currently tolerate a higher degree of

environmental uncertainty. Although further research is inevitably needed, the presented ones

so far, explain in detail the notion of the cognitive buffer hypothesis and the evolution of the

human mind. This being the purpose of the present paper, in my opinion is met and an attempt

to formulate a synthesis of accumulated knowledge has been performed. After discussing the

implications of the studies related to the main theme, a further elaboration of the possible

pathways getting the intricacies of the rapidly developing world of the human mind is carried

out.

Details

• College: Anglia Ruskin University
• Grade: 5.00
• Author: Silvia Stamenova (Author)
• Publication Year: 2017
• Pages: 7
• Catalog Number: V387414
• ISBN (eBook): 9783668615694
• ISBN (Book): 9783668615700
• Language: English
• Tags: cognitive buffer hypothesis encephalization