Review Of "Cognitive Structure And Development In Nonhuman Primates" Edited By F. Antinucci

Document Type

Book Review

Publication Date

7-1-1990

Published In

Choice

Abstract

One in a series on comparative cognition and neuroscience, this volume seeks to investigate the cognitive development of nonhuman primates within the framework of the human developmental states set forth by Piaget. Thus, it attempts to bridge the gap between human and nonhuman primates and to relate the phylogenetic differences in states attained by lower primates to those experienced sequentially by human children. It is severely hampered in this effort by a lack of information from the abundant literature on free-living, nonhuman primates (e.g., there is not a single reference to any of Goodall's published work). All the findings come from strictly Piagetian, laboratory, or zoo studies of developing animals. Chapters include both reports of single species and reviews of work on cognitive problems across species. Rather than drawing from a diversity of views, all the authors and the editor are from the same institute of psychology in Rome. Within this very narrow focus, the book may be interesting and useful to advanced undergraduate and graduate students and faculty in psychology, animal behavior, and anthropology, as it offers reports on long-term studies and methods of investigation. Spartan production of the book includes readable graphs and tables, brief author and subject indexes, and a miniscule reference section. The English is good and an effort (not always successful) was made to reduce jargon, but readers must have knowledge of Piaget's work.

Comments

This work is freely available courtesy of Choice Reviews. The review has been reproduced in full in the abstract field.

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