VOLUME LXXVIII | JUN 2023

Infant action and cognition: what’s at stake?

It’s like two groups of researchers are in a lively debate about the true nature of infant cognition. One group argues that the development of motor cortex limits our understanding, while the other group questions whether core knowledge is consistent from infancy to adulthood. They both provide valid points that need further clarification. One aspect to consider is how cognition evolves during early development and the evidence used to study it. Another aspect is whether concepts like numerosity and moral reasoning develop continuously from infancy to adulthood. It’s like watching a game where each team tries to score a goal, but it’s not clear who will come out on top. This debate opens up exciting possibilities for future research that could shed more light on the complex process of infant cognition. Dive deeper into the original article to explore the different perspectives and form your own conclusions!

Li Wei Chen

Li Wei is a Chinese-Canadian neuroscientist in Vancouver, studying brain plasticity and lifelong learning. He contributes articles on harnessing neurotechnology to expand human capabilities, drawing from his experiences in cross-cultural innovation hubs.

In two independent responses to our opinion article [1], Liu et al. [2] and Aslin et al. [3] (henceforth Liu or Aslin) critiqued our argument that the protracted development of motor cortex in mammals constrains rich interpretations of infant cognition. We welcome this opportunity to clarify what’s at stake. One issue concerns the neural basis of cognition across early development and the evidence researchers rely on to reveal it. Another issue concerns ‘core knowledge’ and whether representations of numerosity, moral reasoning, and the like are developmentally continuous between infant and adult minds.
Read Full Article (External Site)