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Habit formation generates secondary modules that emulate the efficiency of evolved behavior

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 August 2017

Samuel A. Nordli
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences and the Cognitive Science Program, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405-7007snordli@indiana.edupmtodd@indiana.eduhttp://www.indiana.edu/~abcwest/
Peter M. Todd
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences and the Cognitive Science Program, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405-7007snordli@indiana.edupmtodd@indiana.eduhttp://www.indiana.edu/~abcwest/

Abstract

We discuss the evolutionary implications of connections drawn between the authors' learned “secondary modules” and the habit-formation system that appears to be ubiquitous among vertebrates. Prior to any subsequent coevolution with social learning, we suggest that aspects of general intelligence likely arose in tandem with mechanisms of adaptive motor control that rely on basal ganglia circuitry.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2017 

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