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Human Complex Systems

UCLA

Quantitative Differences Between the Working Memory of  Chimpanzees and Humans Gives Rise to Qualitative Differences

Abstract

In a recent article, it is argued that the pure working memory in humans and the chimpanzees are homologous with the same parameter values for the size of pure working memory.  However, the data offered to support this claim show the opposite, namely that the pure working size of chimpanzees is smaller than that of humans.  In addition, extensive data show that the effective size of working memory in the chimpanzees is much smaller than in humans.  Altogether, there are qualitative differences between the chimpanzees and humans deriving from quantitative differences in the size of their working memory (pure or effective).

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