PBSI 311 Chapter 5.2

What is executive function?

High order cognitive processes that enable goal-directed behavior, including planning, problem-solving, and impulse control.

Executive function enables…

Self-control (inhibition), problem solving, planning.

Executive function is heavily associated with

the prefrontal cortex

Self-control

Ability to control impulses

self control is also called

behavioral inhibition

Delay of gratification tasks is

waiting for a bigger reward

Inhibitory control tasks is

resisting the urge to choose the obvious option

Problem solving is

brining together different pieces of information from experience to anticipate a solution to a problem.

Basic Level of problem solving includes

trial-and-error learning and simple tool use

Higher Level of problem solving includes

insight, innovation, complex tool use, and multi-step reasoning.

Aesop’s fable paradigm

Using stones to raise water level to reach food.

Insight

The sudden realization of a solution, aha moment

Insight in tool making birds

when given a choice of tools to retrieve food, they pick the correct onethat demonstrates problem-solving skills and understanding of causal relationships.

Innovation is

the process that generates novel behavior or uses preexisting behavior in a new situation.

what is a sophisticated form of innovation?

Complex tool use

Vertebrates that are extremely innovative

chimpanzees, dolphins, elephants, crows, and parrots

What animals are considered intelligent?

primates, mammalian carnivores

counting is

determining whether one quantity is more or less than another

Bees

can count the number of landmarks 

Monkeys and chimpanzees

can remeber the number of hidden items

chimpanzees

can remeber the order of numerals on a screen

Counting in fish

they will choose larger groups for safety

categorization

the mental process of grouping objects or ideas based on shared features

Probabilistic decision making

using probability to make decisions

social cognition

theory of mind and empathy

theory of mind

ability to form hypotheses about thoughts of surrounding animals.

Empathy

responding to another’s distress or sorrowand sharing in their emotional experience.

empathy is seen in

primates, elephants, dolphins, dogs, and rodents.

personality and emotions

NOT Cognitive

do animals have emotions like joy, sorrow, love, and sadness?

difficult to test.

Vengeance is

retaliating against individuals that have caused harm,