Animal cognition is a hot topic in the scientific community today. It has many implications for how we treat animals in daily life and for what purposes we use them. Scientists have been trying to figure out the extent to which humans and animals are different, as well as similar in their cognitive abilities. However, a new book by Thomas Suddendorf revealed that it may just be the fact that humans can imagine things that are not even possible in our own world that separates us from our primate counterparts. This skill is called nested scenario building. From the time we are little, humans spend an extensive amount of time playing pretend and having imaginary adventures with other friends who can do the same. As we get older, our abilities are able to grow and expand to imagine our futures, create plans, solve complex problems, and connect with others on a deep cognitive level. These abilities provide the basis to understand others and therefore pledge cooperation from others in our social circles. We can learn from others, understand what they are feeling, and express how we are feeling to them. The ability to cooperate and learn from others has also been found in primates, however once humans pass the age of 2 so do our mental abilities. The ability to predict the future and different outcomes in a situation seems to be a solely human characteristic and cognitive skill. Our drive to do nested scenario building and connect with other scenario-building minds may be the key to what separates humans from animals and in the end, is what has driven our evolution from past ancestors.
Maldonado, J. (2013). The Gap: The Science of What Separates Us from Other Animals. Psych Central. Retrieved on March 4, 2014, from http://psychcentral.com/lib/the-gap-the-science-of-what-separates-us-from-other-animals/00018372
