Cognition: From social learning to cultural intelligence

Callitrichids are small monkeys with small brains. Accordingly, their performance in task of physical cognition is modest. But they are keen social learners, and have ample opportunities for that: Surrounded by multiple caregivers, eager to share food and perhaps even information (teaching), youngsters have many tolerant role models. These monkeys thus provide important insights into how cooperative breeding could have catalyzed processes resulting in human cultural intelligence.

We are therefore interested in primate cognitive abilities, and whether there is something like general intelligence in nonhumans. Moreover, we work on identifying the cognitive mechanisms involved in social learning, coordinated joint action, and prosocial behaviors in the callitrichids.

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