The Social Relevance of Numbers: Insights from Animal Studies

Number processing confers significant adaptive advantages, enabling organisms to navigate their environment and maximize survival outcomes. Extensive evidence across species demonstrates that numerical cognition is a ubiquitous cognitive trait that enhances fitness by supporting critical behaviors such as foraging, hunting, and intergroup conflict. In this review, we examine the evolutionary and developmental roots of numerical cognition, focusing on its functional role in social contexts. First, we report research findings on the use of numerical information in various social behaviors among a wide range of animals. Then, we discuss how selective pressures arising from social complexity, like group-size, hierarchical structure, and cooperation, contribute to the refinement of numerical abilities during social interactions. Finally, we explore how early social deprivation during ontogeny may shape the development of numerical cognition. We present a novel and integrative perspective on the evolutionary and developmental link between numerical skills and social life.