Uniquely human intelligence arose from expanded information capacity

Human intelligence is argued to have evolved from an increase in information processing capacity rather than specific cognitive biases, according to a Perspective published in Nature Reviews Psychology. The authors suggest that human cognitive uniqueness stems from genetic quantitative enhancements in the ability to process and share information across memory, attention, and learning systems. This theory proposes that human cognition differs from other species due to increased information processing capabilities, leading to distinctions in cognitive functions such as rule representation, pattern recognition, and abstract thinking. The authors support their argument with evidence from neural evolution and the constraints of memory on cognitive abilities. By emphasizing the role of expanded information capacity, this perspective offers a new framework for understanding the evolution of human intelligence and its distinctiveness compared to other animals.