Rowell Misha K, Pillay Neville, Rymer Tasmin L
College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, P. O. Box 6811, Cairns, Queensland 4870, Australia.
Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Sciences, James Cook University, P. O. Box 6811, Cairns, Queensland 4870, Australia.
Animals (Basel). 2021 Mar 18;11(3):866. doi: 10.3390/ani11030866.
Problem solving, the act of overcoming an obstacle to obtain an incentive, has been studied in a wide variety of taxa, and is often based on simple strategies such as trial-and-error learning, instead of higher-order cognitive processes, such as insight. There are large variations in problem solving abilities between species, populations and individuals, and this variation could arise due to differences in development, and other intrinsic (genetic, neuroendocrine and aging) and extrinsic (environmental) factors. However, experimental studies investigating the ontogeny of problem solving are lacking. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of problem solving from an ontogenetic perspective. The focus is to highlight aspects of problem solving that have been overlooked in the current literature, and highlight why developmental influences of problem-solving ability are particularly important avenues for future investigation. We argue that the ultimate outcome of solving a problem is underpinned by interacting cognitive, physiological and behavioural components, all of which are affected by ontogenetic factors. We emphasise that, due to the large number of confounding ontogenetic influences, an individual-centric approach is important for a full understanding of the development of problem solving.
解决问题，即克服障碍以获得激励的行为，已经在各种各样的生物分类群中得到研究，并且通常基于简单的策略，如试错学习，而非高阶认知过程，如顿悟。物种、种群和个体之间的解决问题能力存在很大差异，这种差异可能源于发育差异以及其他内在（遗传、神经内分泌和衰老）和外在（环境）因素。然而，缺乏研究解决问题个体发生的实验研究。在此，我们从个体发生的角度对解决问题进行全面综述。重点是突出当前文献中被忽视的解决问题的方面，并强调为什么解决问题能力的发育影响是未来研究特别重要的途径。我们认为，解决问题的最终结果由相互作用的认知、生理和行为成分支撑，所有这些都受到个体发生因素的影响。我们强调，由于存在大量混杂的个体发生影响，以个体为中心的方法对于全面理解解决问题的发展很重要。
