Events

Dr. Alison Gopnik will argue that human life history, particularly the distinctively human extended childhood and post-fertility elderhood, has evolved as a solution to computational tensions between exploration and exploitation, broadly construed. Empirical studies from his lab and others suggest that childhood allows a period of wide-ranging internal and external exploration and “high-temperature” search in contrast to the more constrained but effective “exploitation” cognition of adulthood. However, this evolutionary strategy also depends on a large investment in care, and, in the context of cultural evolution, on the transmission of cultural knowledge. Elders may be particularly well-suited to serve these functions.  Moreover, care and teaching demand distinct computational capacities which in turn trade-off with the standard “exploit” capacities of adults. Early adversity, which is a signal that care is in short supply, may accelerate the shift from exploration to exploitation.

 

This event is co-sponsored by the Center for Data Science (CDS) and Department of Psychology (C&P Colloquium). There is a reception with light refreshments taking place at 11:30am in 6 Washington Place Room 102 prior to the talk. For those who are interested in joining virtually, please register in advance for this meeting: https://nyu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwrce6orDgjGtKWj7A-lCa7HzWr4sA1fH6R After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.