ERIC Number: EJ816437
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2006
Pages: 8
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0889-9401
EISSN: N/A
A Summary and Commentary on D. and S. Premack's "Original Intelligence"
Greer, R. Douglas
Analysis of Verbal Behavior, v22 p111-118 2006
Some evolutionary cognitive and developmental psychologists propose that the human mind consists of domain-specific modules. These are characterized as self-contained "mini-computers" that process information of a certain kind. In their book, "Original Intelligence," the Premacks set out to provide a synthesis of evidence from various fields in order to identify what they characterize as "original intelligence." Their synthesis is derived from their reading of findings in comparative psychology, developmental psychology, neuroscience, anthropology and other "life sciences." All of the evidence and theory from psychology from which they draw their evidence comes from the cognitive perspective including their own contributions to that research. For them, original intelligence includes certain phylogenetic and ontogenetic contributions that they identify as expectancies, capabilities that are present or not present in certain species including humans. These capabilities include inherited expectancies, derived from natural selection; and expectancies derived from experience and its interaction with inherited expectancies. "Original Intelligence" is divided into 10 chapters that describe these capabilities and a conclusion chapter. In this commentary, Greer states that, while he admires the Premacks' scholarly effort to synthesize evidence across disciplines, he is concerned that the omission of the science of behavior in their treatment of this topic is limiting.
Descriptors: Intelligence, Developmental Psychology, Evolution, Biological Sciences, Behavior, Verbal Communication
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Opinion Papers; Reports - Descriptive
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Language: English
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