Cognition in Context: Plasticity in Cognitive Performance in Response to Ongoing Environmental Variables
Cognition has evolved to allow organisms to process, use and store information in their natural environment. Yet, cognitive abilities are traditionally measured in controlled laboratory conditions to obtain consistent and accurate measurements. Consequently, little is known about the actual effect o...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2020-04-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fevo.2020.00106/full |
| _version_ | 1828389052895723520 |
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| author | Maxime Cauchoix Alexis S. Chaine Gladys Barragan-Jason |
| author_facet | Maxime Cauchoix Alexis S. Chaine Gladys Barragan-Jason |
| author_sort | Maxime Cauchoix |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Cognition has evolved to allow organisms to process, use and store information in their natural environment. Yet, cognitive abilities are traditionally measured in controlled laboratory conditions to obtain consistent and accurate measurements. Consequently, little is known about the actual effect of natural environmental variation on cognitive performances. Being able to modify cognitive performance according to environmental conditions (e.g., plasticity of attentional performances according to current predator densities) could provide evolutionary advantages. In this mini-review, we compile evidence for what we call “cognitive performance plasticity” (i.e., flexible adjustment of cognitive performance in response to the current environment). We then discuss methodological approaches associated with measurement of cognitive performance plasticity and cognition in general. Finally, we discuss the implications of acknowledging plasticity in cognitive performance, including a better understanding of the reproducibility crisis observed in cognitive sciences (Open Science Collaboration, 2015) and new lines of inquiry into the evolution of cognition and the adaptive value of cognitive performance plasticity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T06:23:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8af94185c1d748db9d979646372ddd6f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-701X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T06:23:16Z |
| publishDate | 2020-04-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj.art-8af94185c1d748db9d979646372ddd6f2022-12-22T01:59:17ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution2296-701X2020-04-01810.3389/fevo.2020.00106531275Cognition in Context: Plasticity in Cognitive Performance in Response to Ongoing Environmental VariablesMaxime CauchoixAlexis S. ChaineGladys Barragan-JasonCognition has evolved to allow organisms to process, use and store information in their natural environment. Yet, cognitive abilities are traditionally measured in controlled laboratory conditions to obtain consistent and accurate measurements. Consequently, little is known about the actual effect of natural environmental variation on cognitive performances. Being able to modify cognitive performance according to environmental conditions (e.g., plasticity of attentional performances according to current predator densities) could provide evolutionary advantages. In this mini-review, we compile evidence for what we call “cognitive performance plasticity” (i.e., flexible adjustment of cognitive performance in response to the current environment). We then discuss methodological approaches associated with measurement of cognitive performance plasticity and cognition in general. Finally, we discuss the implications of acknowledging plasticity in cognitive performance, including a better understanding of the reproducibility crisis observed in cognitive sciences (Open Science Collaboration, 2015) and new lines of inquiry into the evolution of cognition and the adaptive value of cognitive performance plasticity.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fevo.2020.00106/fullcognitioncognitive plasticityevolutionenvironmentreaction norm |
| spellingShingle | Maxime Cauchoix Alexis S. Chaine Gladys Barragan-Jason Cognition in Context: Plasticity in Cognitive Performance in Response to Ongoing Environmental Variables Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution cognition cognitive plasticity evolution environment reaction norm |
| title | Cognition in Context: Plasticity in Cognitive Performance in Response to Ongoing Environmental Variables |
| title_full | Cognition in Context: Plasticity in Cognitive Performance in Response to Ongoing Environmental Variables |
| title_fullStr | Cognition in Context: Plasticity in Cognitive Performance in Response to Ongoing Environmental Variables |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cognition in Context: Plasticity in Cognitive Performance in Response to Ongoing Environmental Variables |
| title_short | Cognition in Context: Plasticity in Cognitive Performance in Response to Ongoing Environmental Variables |
| title_sort | cognition in context plasticity in cognitive performance in response to ongoing environmental variables |
| topic | cognition cognitive plasticity evolution environment reaction norm |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fevo.2020.00106/full |
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