Prospective Processing: Behavioural and Neural Evidence

Abstract

Whether animals can engage in prospective processing, looking ahead to what needs to be done, is an area of current interest in comparative cognition. We review some of the early behavioural and more recent neural evidence for prospective processing. Three classic behavioural studies, each adopting a different technique (confusion matrix design, sample comparison mapping design, and modality-specific interference design), confirm that animals can engage in prospective processing. Mirroring these findings are more recent data that revealed neural evidence in favour of prospective processing. Overall, both behavioural and neural studies support the view that animals engage in prospective processing and plan for a future event.