5.5 Other Evolved, Cognitive Traits

It is impossible to cover all the cognitive and emotional traits that have evolved in this one, online textbook. In reality, entire books have been written on single aspects (communication, tool use, sentience), for specific species, or the entire animal kingdom. Because of this, I encourage you to dig deeper into the literature. Start by selecting a specific species or a particular trait. Ask others what they have read and found interesting. Then remember to think through Tinbergen’s Four Questions to parse out how and why different traits work for different species.

Below are some recommended readings on popular topics:

• Tool Use: Biro, D., Haslam, M., & Rutz, C. (2013). Tool use as adaptation.
• Language: Kolodny, O., & Edelman, S. (2018). The evolution of the capacity for language.
• Nonhuman Language: Fitch, T.W. (2019). Animal cognition and the evolution of human language.
• Nonhuman Perception and Cognition: Stevens, M. (2021). Secret Worlds.
• Evolution and the Brain: Cisek, P., & Hayden, B.Y. (2021). Neuroscience needs evolution.
• Religion and Morality: de, F.B. (2014). The bonobo and the atheist.
• Morality and Ethics: Bekoff, M., & Pierce, J. (2009). Wild justice: The moral lives of animals.

This list is certainly not all inclusive. As such, if you have a favorite paper or book you think others might enjoy, please send it to shellyvolsche@boisestate.edu for consideration.

Keep in mind that a trait, behavioral or biological, must have conferred a reproductive advantage to the species at some point. This means that not all traits may seem adaptive to us now. We will explore this concept more in Chapter 6.