The expert Neandertal mind

Wynn, Thomas; Coolidge, Frederick L.

doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2004.01.005

Cited by 258Pleistocene-Era Hominins and ArchaeologyPrimate Behavior and EcologyCognitive Abilities and Testing

The expert Neandertal mind

Wynn, Thomas, Coolidge, Frederick L.·2004·Journal of Human Evolution

DOI 10.1016/j.jhevol.2004.01.005

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Abstract

Cognitive neuropsychology, cognitive anthropology, and cognitive archaeology are combined to yield a picture of Neandertal cognition in which expert performance via long-term working memory is the centerpiece of problem solving. This component of Neandertal cognition appears to have been modern in scope. However, Neandertals' working memory capacity, which is the ability to hold a variety of information in active attention, may not have been as large as that of modern humans. This characteristic helps us understand features of the archaeological record, such as the rarity of innovation, and allows us to make empirically based speculations about Neandertal personality.

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“Thus, it seems reasonable to conclude that there were differences between anatomically modern human and Neanderthal brains, and that these underlie at least some of the characteristics of our lineage42.”
From A catalog of single nucleotide changes distinguishing modern humans from archaic hominins (2019) · cites this paper as [42]

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Authors: Wynn, T., & Coolidge, F. L.
Affiliations: University of Colorado Colorado Springs (US)
Corresponding author: Wynn, Thomas
ORCID: Wynn, Thomas
Coolidge, Frederick L.
Venue: Journal of Human Evolution
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Published: 2004-04
Volume: 46
Issue: 4
Pages: 467-487
ISSN: 0047-2484 (ISSN-L)
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2004.01.005
OpenAlex: W2106642836
Cited by: 258
References: 92
Citations by year: 2026: 6 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 24 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 14 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 22 · 2013: 18 · 2012: 12
FWCI: 29.23
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations: Journal of Human Evolution (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics: Social Sciences › Anthropology › Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology
Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Primate Behavior and Ecology
Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
Keywords: Neanderthals, working memory, problem solving, cognitive archaeology, cognitive anthropology, cognitive neuropsychology, innovation, modernity
MeSH terms: Animals, Anthropology, Archaeology, Cognition, Humans, Memory, Personality, Problem Solving, Hominidae

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The expert Neandertal mind

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