Historical Development of Human Cognition

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xv

   PDF

2. Introduction

   • Alfredo Ardila

   Pages 1-8

3. Origins of Language

   • Alfredo Ardila

   Pages 9-41

4. Origins of Spatial Abilities

   • Alfredo Ardila

   Pages 43-59

5. Origins of Writing

   • Alfredo Ardila

   Pages 61-81

6. Origins of Calculation Abilities

   • Alfredo Ardila

   Pages 83-105

7. Origins of Executive Functions

   • Alfredo Ardila

   Pages 107-134

8. Culture and Cognitive Testing

   • Alfredo Ardila

   Pages 135-159

9. Toward the Future

   • Alfredo Ardila

   Pages 161-174

This book addresses a central question: how did cognition emerge in human history? It approaches the question from a cultural-historical, neuropsychological perspective and analyses evidence on the historical origins of cognitive activity; integrates information regarding cross-cultural differences in neuropsychological performance; and discusses how adopting a historical and cultural perspective in the behavioural neurosciences can help to arrive at a better understanding of cognition. Lastly, it proposes general guidelines for future research in the area.

• Behavioral neurosciences
• cultural-historical approach in neuropsychology
• cross-cultural neuropsychology
• historical cognitive activity
• spatial cognitiion and abilities
• language and higher cognitive processes
• acalculia and finger agnosia
• agraphia
• metacognitive excutive functions
• neuropsychological test performance
• Vygotsky
• cultural historical research

• Florida International University , Miami, USA

  Alfredo Ardila

Alfredo Ardila is a psychologist at the National University of Colombia. He completed his PhD in Neuropsychology at Moscow State University, where he worked with Alexander Romanovich Luria. He has been a professor of neuropsychology in various countries, including Colombia, Mexico, Spain, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Russia, Serbia, Chile and Venezuela. Currently Ardila is a Professor at Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA. He is the author of over 400 journal papers and book chapters, and has authored or edited 30 books in the cognitive neurosciences and related areas. He has been president of several professional associations, including the Latin American Association of Neuropsychology, Latin American Society of Neuropsychology, and Hispanic Neuropsychological Society. Currently he is also Editor-in-Chief of the journal Neuropsicología, Neuropsiquiatría y Neurociencias.

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