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Working Memory, its Executive Functions, and the Emergence of Modern Thinking

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 May 2005

Frederick L. Coolidge  and
Thomas Wynn
Frederick L. Coolidge
Affiliation:
Psychology Department, P.O. Box 7150, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, CO 80933-7150, USA; fcoolidge@uccs.edu.
Thomas Wynn
Affiliation:
Anthropology Department, P.O. Box 7150, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, CO 80933-7150, USA; twynn@uccs.edu.
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Abstract

This article examines the possible origins of modern thinking by evaluating the cognitive models of working memory, executive functions and their interrelationship. We propose that a genetic mutation affected neural networks in the prefrontal cortex approximately 60,000 to 130,000 years ago. Our review of cognitive and archaeological evidence yields two possibilities: either it was non-domain specific, affecting general working memory capacity and its executive functions, or the mutation was domain-specific, affecting phonological storage capacity. We discuss the sequelae of these possibilities for modernity, including language enhancement, greater reasoning, planning, and modelling abilities, and increases in fluid/general intelligence.

Keywords

memory, early humancognition, early humanprefrontal cortexlanguage capability, early
Type
Research Article
Information
Cambridge Archaeological Journal , Volume 15 , Issue 1 , April 2005 , pp. 5 - 26
Copyright
2005 The McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research

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