The case for a cognitive approach to animal learning and behavior
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The case for a cognitive approach to animal learning and behavior
Two very different approaches to animal cognition have appeared during the 20th century. The first approach, characterized originally by the work of Romanes (1883), can be thought of as a biological approach because of its emphasis on the genetic basis of behavior. This approach has focused on the adaptive (survival) value of cognitive processes and posits that evolution has genetically selected animals for certain cognitive abilities. According to this view, cognitive behavior evolved
Acknowledgements
This research was supported by National Science Foundation Grant IBN 941489 and National Institute of Mental Health Grants 55118 and 59194. I thank Janice Weaver, Emily Klein, and Tricia Clement for their helpful comments on an earlier version of this manuscript.
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