Baboons (Papio papio), but not humans, break cognitive set in a visuomotor task

Abstract

Cognitive set can be both helpful and harmful in problem solving. A large set of similar problems may be solved mechanically by applying a single-solution method. However, efficiency might be sacrificed if a better solution exists and is overlooked. Despite half a century of research on cognitive set, there have been no attempts to investigate whether it occurs in nonhuman species. The current study utilized a nonverbal, computer task to compare cognitive set between 104 humans and 15 baboons (Papio papio). A substantial difference was found between humans' and baboons' abilities to break cognitive set. Consistent with previous studies, the majority of humans were highly impaired by set, yet baboons were almost completely unaffected. Analysis of the human data revealed that children (aged 7-10) were significantly better able to break set than adolescents (11-18) and adults (19-68). Both the evolutionary and developmental implications of these findings are discussed.

Enhanced Cognitive Flexibility in the Seminomadic Himba

“…To study cross-cultural differences in cognitive set, the current study used a nonverbal, non-arithmetic optional switch cognitive flexibility task, which was originally devised by Pope et al (2015) as a means of comparing baboons' and humans' susceptibilities to cognitive set. The Learned Strategy-Direct Strategy (LS-DS) task begins with several levels of training wherein CROSS-CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN COGNITIVE FLEXIBILITY 7 subjects learn to utilize a three-step (Square1, Square2, Triangle) sequence, which constitutes the learned strategy (LS; see Figure 1a).…”

“…However, Luchins noted that this was also interpreted as Don't be blind to the obvious rule. Although the LS-DS task does not explicitly instruct subjects how to respond (they learn through trial and error), it is possible that previous human subjects (Pope et al, 2015) did not…”

“…Thus, Himba subjects were shown an illustration of a square and a triangle at that point during the instructions. 1 A complete description of the LS-DS task can be found in (Pope et al, 2015). The task consists of three training levels and 96 experimental trials.…”

Enhanced cognitive flexibility in the semi-nomadic Himba

“…To study cross-cultural differences in cognitive set, the current study used a nonverbal, non-arithmetic optional switch cognitive flexibility task, which was originally devised by Pope et al (2015) as a means of comparing baboons' and humans' susceptibilities to cognitive set. The Learned Strategy-Direct Strategy (LS-DS) task begins with several levels of training wherein CROSS-CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN COGNITIVE FLEXIBILITY subjects learn to utilize a three-step (Square1, Square2, Triangle) sequence, which constitutes the learned strategy (LS; see Figure 1a).…”

“…However, Luchins noted that this was also interpreted as Don't be blind to the obvious rule. Although the LS-DS task does not explicitly instruct subjects how to respond (they learn through trial and error), it is possible that previous human subjects (Pope et al, 2015) did not CROSS-CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN COGNITIVE FLEXIBILITY regard the DS as a viable option based on their history with repetitive rule-use and/or singlesolution problems. In the current study, we hypothesized that cross-cultural differences in how problems are understood or approached, influences susceptibility to cognitive set.…”