Skip to main content

Research Repository

Advanced Search

Animal and human innovation: novel problems and novel solutions

Reader, S.; Morand-Ferron, J.; Flynn, E.

Animal and human innovation: novel problems and novel solutions Thumbnail


Authors

S. Reader

J. Morand-Ferron

E. Flynn



Abstract

This theme issue explores how and why behavioural innovation occurs, and the consequences of innovation for individuals, groups and populations. A vast literature on human innovation exists, from the development of problem-solving in children, to the evolution of technology, to the cultural systems supporting innovation. A more recent development is a growing literature on animal innovation, which has demonstrated links between innovation and personality traits, cognitive traits, neural measures, changing conditions, and the current state of the social and physical environment. Here, we introduce these fields, define key terms and discuss the potential for fruitful exchange between the diverse fields researching innovation. Comparisons of innovation between human and non-human animals provide opportunities, but also pitfalls. We also summarize some key findings specifying the circumstances in which innovation occurs, discussing factors such as the intrinsic nature of innovative individuals and the environmental and socio-ecological conditions that promote innovation, such as necessity, opportunity and free resources. We also highlight key controversies, including the relationship between innovation and intelligence, and the notion of innovativeness as an individual-level trait. Finally, we discuss current research methods and suggest some novel approaches that could fruitfully be deployed.

Citation

Reader, S., Morand-Ferron, J., & Flynn, E. (2016). Animal and human innovation: novel problems and novel solutions. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 371(1690), Article 20150182. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2015.0182

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Jan 14, 2016
Online Publication Date Feb 29, 2016
Publication Date Mar 1, 2016
Deposit Date Jan 7, 2016
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
Print ISSN 0962-8436
Electronic ISSN 1471-2970
Publisher The Royal Society
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 371
Issue 1690
Article Number 20150182
DOI https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2015.0182

Files

Accepted Journal Article (500 Kb)
PDF

Copyright Statement
© 2016 The Authors. Published by the Royal Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/, which permits unrestricted use, provided the original author and source are credited.






You might also like



Downloadable Citations