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The future of future-oriented cognition in non-humans : theory and the empirical case of the great apes

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Author

Summary, in English

One of the most contested areas in the field of animal cognition is non-human future-oriented cognition. We critically examine key underlying assumptions in the debate, which is mainly preoccupied with certain dichotomous positions, the most prevalent being whether or not ‘real’ future orientation is uniquely human. We argue that future orientation is a theoretical construct threatening to lead research astray. Cognitive operations occur in the present moment and can be influenced only by prior causation and the environment, at the same time that most appear directed towards future outcomes. Regarding the current debate, future orientation becomes a question of where on various continua cog- nition becomes ‘truly’ future-oriented. We question both the assumption that episodic cognition is the most important process in future-oriented cognition and the assumption that future-oriented cognition is uniquely human. We review the studies on future-oriented cognition in the great apes to find little doubt that our closest relatives possess such ability. We conclude by urging that future-oriented cognition not be viewed as expression of some select set of skills. Instead, research into future-oriented cognition should be approached more like research into social and physical cognition.

Department/s

Publishing year

2014

Language

English

Publication/Series

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

Volume

369

Issue

1655

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Royal Society Publishing

Topic

  • Zoology
  • Psychology (excluding Applied Psychology)

Keywords

  • mental time travel
  • episodic memories
  • episodic foresight
  • animal cognition
  • primate cognition
  • animal planning

Status

Published

Research group

  • Lund University Cognitive Science (LUCS)
  • LUCS Cognitive Zoology Group

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1471-2970