Extended parenting and the evolution of cognition

Abstract

Traditional attempts to understand the evolution of human cognition compare humans with other primates. This research showed that relative brain size covaries with cognitive skills, while adaptations that buffer the developmental and energetic costs of large brains (e.g. allomaternal care), and ecological or social benefits of cognitive abilities, are critical for their evolution. To understand the drivers of cognitive adaptations, it is profitable to consider distant lineages with convergently evolved cognitions. Here, we examine the facilitators of cognitive evolution in corvid birds, where some species display cultural learning, with an emphasis on family life. We propose that extended parenting (protracted parent–offspring association) is pivotal in the evolution of cognition: it combines critical life-history, social and ecological conditions allowing for the development and maintenance of cognitive skillsets that confer fitness benefits to individuals. This novel hypothesis complements the extended childhood idea by considering the parents' role in juvenile development. Using phylogenetic comparative analyses, we show that corvids have larger body sizes, longer development times, extended parenting and larger relative brain sizes than other passerines. Case studies from two corvid species with different ecologies and social systems highlight the critical role of life-history features on juveniles’ cognitive development: extended parenting provides a safe haven, access to tolerant role models, reliable learning opportunities and food, resulting in higher survival. The benefits of extended juvenile learning periods, over evolutionary time, lead to selection for expanded cognitive skillsets. Similarly, in our ancestors, cooperative breeding and increased group sizes facilitated learning and teaching. Our analyses highlight the critical role of life-history, ecological and social factors that underlie both extended parenting and expanded cognitive skillsets. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Life history and learning: how childhood, caregiving and old age shape cognition and culture in humans and other animals’.

Sex-specific effects of cooperative breeding and colonial nesting on prosociality in corvids

“…In contrast, New Caledonian crow parents feed their juvenile offspring for extended periods ( Hunt et al, 2012 ), while food provisioning by juveniles has never been documented ( Holzhaider et al, 2011 ). Our finding of prosocial behavior in a juvenile New Caledonian crow underlines the importance of considering the role of family living in the absence of cooperative breeding for the evolution of prosociality in birds ( Uomini et al, 2020 ). Future studies, where samples show larger age variation within the groups or where the same groups can be tested at different time points with differing age ratios, would also be very informative regarding the question of the influence of age on prosocial behavior ( Kaplan, 2020 ).…”

“…Since this behavior has been shown to be predominantly selfish ( Ekman et al, 1996 ), it is possible that Siberian jays’ particular feeding strategy explains their lack of prosocial tendencies. Therefore, to advance understanding of the role of family living in regard to prosociality, it would be important to further investigate prosocial tendencies in other family-living corvid species ( Uomini et al, 2020 ).…”

Old and New Approaches to Animal Cognition: There Is Not “One Cognition”

“…The fascination comes from the fact that these demonstrated abilities are comparable or even superior to those of our own species within the same domains. They are puzzling because these are cognitive domains, and some aspects of cognition were traditionally thought to represent a unique characteristic of human minds that distinguishes us from other animals more than any other trait (Premack 2007;Uomini 2008;Shettleworth 2012;Uomini 2014;MacLean 2016;Uomini and Ruck 2018;Uomini et al 2020). From an anthropocentric perspective, such skills would need an explanation because they challenge human superiority, but from a genuine biological perspective, such skills are simply examples of the unique traits that each species has evolved due to specific situations and needs.…”

Introduction to special issue: ‘Life history and learning: how childhood, caregiving and old age shape cognition and culture in humans and other animals’

“…Although there have recently been striking advances in the comparative study of cognition, there is still a dearth of developmental studies of other species-the studies that are the foundation of human developmental psychology. Uomini et al [18] provide two case studies of cognitive development in corvids, a family of birds well known for their sophisticated cognitive skills, which can rival those of primates. Both Siberian royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rstb Phil.…”

“…All these separate areas of research progress weave together in the papers in this issue. The papers are organized methodologically, beginning with broad theoretical discussions [15][16][17], moving to studies of birds [18,19] and primates [20,21], looking at human evolutionary history as reflected in anthropology and archaeology [22][23][24][25][26] and finally, focusing on studies of humans in modern societies [27][28][29]. But much of the interest of this special issue comes in the cross-cutting themes across these different methodologies and populations.…”