Neuro-cognitive organization as a side-effect of the evolution of learning ability

This research explores the relation between environmental organization and cognitive organization. We hypothesize that selection pressure on learning ability indirectly causes selection pressure on alignment of neuro-cognitive and environmental structure, since such alignment implies that small changes in the environment can be handled with small changes in the implementation of behaviour. We indicate reinforcement-free types of learning ability as most strongly reliant on such alignment. We present a model in which a simple form of reinforcement-free learning is evolved in neural networks, and analyze the effect this has on the virtual species' neural organization. We find a higher degree of organization than in a control population without learning ability, and discuss the relation between the observed neural structure and the environmental structure. We discuss our findings in the context of the environmental complexity thesis and the Baldwin effect.