Skill:
• Analysis of correlations between body size and brain size in different animals
There is a positive correlation between body size and brain size in different animals – larger animals have larger brains
- This correlation follows a linear pattern of progression but is not directly proportional
While an increase in body size results in an increase in brain size, the brain:body ratio decreases in larger animals
- Body mass increases disproportionately to an increase in brain mass as most tasks only require a fixed brain capacity
- While there is a correlation between body size and brain size, there is not a correlation between brain size and intelligence
Encephalization is defined as the amount of brain mass relative to an animal's body mass
- Scientists have derived an encephalization quotient (EQ), which attempts to provide a rough estimate of potential cognition
- The quotient is only applied to mammals – higher values are indicative of a higher predicted capacity for intelligence
Relationship between Brain Size and Body Size
