人类数能力的演化基础——数能力比较研究的启示

人类的数能力可以发展到很高的抽象水平，但大量研究表明，人类婴儿和非人灵长类也具有基本的数表征和数推理能力。文章从表征内容和表征形式两个方面系统地比较了人类婴儿和非人灵长类的数能力，并对比了成人和非人灵长类数表征的生理基础。人类和非人灵长类在这三方面存在的相似性揭示了他们可能享有相同的数表征系统。在今后的研究中，进一步探讨这两者相似的数表征核心系统，可以加深我们对人类数能力起源和本质的理解

The Evolutionary Foundation of Human Numerical Competence: Implication from Comparative Studies

Numerical competence has reached a high level of abstraction in human culture. However, there is growing evidence suggesting that both human infants and non-human primates exhibit an initial responsiveness to numbers, including numerical representation and reasoning about numerical quantities. Recent research was reviewed to compare the representation content and format involved in numerical discrimination as well as simple addition and subtraction between human infants and non-human primates. Further, the comparison of related neural mechanisms was made between human and non-human primates. Since there is no such research on human infants, we relied on research on human adults and inferred to human infants. Similarity revealed through these comparisons implied that there is shared numerical competence across primates. Further studies on the similar core systems of number presented in both human infant and non-human primates would provide better understanding of the evolutionary origin and nature of this capacity in human beings.