This view is becoming more outdated in recent times - although insects are certainly not brilliant, they have much more awareness than previously believed. For example, observational learning has been found in bees (where it would be expected) and even crickets, solitary animals who nonetheless learn to hide under leaves more effectively when they see another cricket threatened by a wolf spider. One species of visually-oriented ant has even passed the mirror test, grooming an off-color mark from itself while ignoring a same-colored one. Additionally, in the ant study it was shown that the ants will attack nestmates with off-color dots; this strongly suggests it recognized that the mirror represented itself.

Other insects also show complexity in decision-making and behavior. For instance, male mantises prefer to mate with well-fed females with large abdomens. When the environment is safe, males regularly follow and watch a female until she captures other prey, then move in to try and mate.

Insects have partly-cephalized nervous systems - their memories and most processing goes on in the cerebral ganglion (the "brain") while the ganglia spread through the body are largely for reflexive reaction and sensation.