221 | Adam Bulley on How Mental Time Travel Makes Us Human
Jan 2, 2023
01:20:42
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Quick takeaways
The human capacity for foresight is more sophisticated than chimpanzees, as they lack the ability to anticipate future preferences different from their present ones.
The development of the human capacity for foresight likely evolved over time, with even simpler organisms exhibiting basic forms of future-directed behaviors.
Contingency planning is a critical aspect of human foresight, enabling us to adapt to changing conditions and anticipate potential outcomes.
Deep dives
Chimpanzees and the Limitations of Foresight
Chimpanzees demonstrate some degree of foresight by using tools to solve problems and engaging in future-directed behaviors such as planning, navigating, and hunting. However, they appear to lack the ability to anticipate drive states they currently do not possess. This means they cannot plan or act upon future preferences that are different from their present ones. While chimpanzees can track false beliefs to some extent, their theory of mind capacities are far less developed than humans. These limitations suggest that the human capacity for foresight is more sophisticated and articulated compared to our closest evolutionary relatives.
The Gradual Evolution of Foresight
The development of the human capacity for foresight is a gradual process that likely evolved over time. It is challenging to pinpoint the exact order in which memory and foresight emerged in evolutionary history. However, even simpler organisms like E. coli exhibit basic forms of future-directed behaviors. As evolution progressed, species acquired an increasing ability to imagine the future, culminating in the highly developed capacity observed in humans. While the precise mechanisms and steps of this evolution remain unclear, accumulating data and research can shed light on how this unique ability evolved.
The Importance of Contingency Planning
Contingency planning is a critical aspect of human foresight. Humans have the ability to recognize the need for backup plans and anticipate alternative possibilities in the face of unpredictable circumstances. This capacity sets us apart from other animals, including chimpanzees. Contingency planning enables humans to adapt to changing conditions, make complex decisions, and anticipate potential outcomes. It is an essential component of human cognitive abilities and plays a crucial role in our ability to navigate the future effectively.
Regret and the Unique Human Experience
Regret, the feeling of wishing to have done something differently in the past, is commonly experienced by humans. It is closely tied to our capacity for mental time travel and counterfactual thinking. While it is challenging to determine if other animals can experience regret, it is a distinct aspect of the human experience. The ability to imagine different past outcomes and contemplate alternative choices contributes to our sense of regret and the impact it has on our decision-making processes and emotions.
The Relationship Between Mental Time Travel and Regret
Mental time travel, the ability to imagine and anticipate future events, is both a blessing and a curse. While it allows us to plan and prepare, it also makes us susceptible to regret and negative emotions. Dogs, for example, may appear guilty when they have done something bad, but it is not true regret. However, dogs are being increasingly studied for their cognitive abilities, as they have a long history of co-evolution with humans.
The Marshmallow Test and Future Imagination
The Marshmallow Test, which measures the ability to delay gratification, is often linked to the capacity for future imagination. Research suggests that individuals who can vividly imagine themselves in the future tend to exhibit more self-control and willingness to wait for delayed rewards. Strategies like imagining future events can potentially increase patience and influence decision-making, although the relationship between future imagination and long-term decision-making is complex.
One of the most powerful of all human capacities is the ability to imagine ourselves in hypothetical situations at different times. We can remember the past, but also conjure up possible futures that haven’t yet happened. This simple ability underlies our capability to organize socially and make contracts with other people. Today’s guest, psychologist Adam Bulley, argues that it’s the primary feature that makes us recognizably human, as he argues in the new book The Invention of Tomorrow: A Natural History of Foresight (with Thomas Suddendorf and Jonathan Redshaw).
Adam Bulley received his Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Queensland. He is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the Brain and Mind Centre and School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, and the Department of Psychology at Harvard University.
