State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning and IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Huangshan University, Huangshan 245041 China.
State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning and IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
Cell Rep. 2024 Apr 23;43(4):114060. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114060. Epub 2024 Apr 2.
Human cognitive abilities ranging from basic perceptions to complex social behaviors exhibit substantial variation in individual differences. These cognitive functions can be categorized into a two-order hierarchy based on the levels of cognitive processes. Second-order cognition including metacognition and mentalizing monitors and regulates first-order cognitive processes. These two-order hierarchical cognitive functions exhibit distinct abilities. However, it remains unclear whether individual differences in these cognitive abilities have distinct origins. We employ the classical twin paradigm to compare the genetic and environmental contributions to the two-order cognitive abilities in the same tasks from the same population. The results reveal that individual differences in first-order cognitive abilities were primarily influenced by genetic factors. Conversely, the second-order cognitive abilities have a stronger influence from shared environmental factors. These findings suggest that the abilities of metacognition and mentalizing in adults are profoundly shaped by their environmental experiences and less determined by their biological nature.
人类的认知能力从基本感知到复杂的社会行为，在个体差异方面表现出很大的差异。这些认知功能可以根据认知过程的水平分为两个层次。二阶认知包括元认知和心理理论，它监控和调节一阶认知过程。这两种二阶层次的认知功能表现出不同的能力。然而，目前尚不清楚这些认知能力的个体差异是否具有不同的起源。我们采用经典的双胞胎范式，在同一人群的相同任务中比较两种层次的认知能力的遗传和环境贡献。结果表明，一阶认知能力的个体差异主要受遗传因素的影响。相反，二阶认知能力受共享环境因素的影响更大。这些发现表明，成年人的元认知和心理理论能力深受其环境经验的影响，而较少受其生物本性的决定。
