Craniofacial Feminization, Social Tolerance, and the Origins of Behavioral Modernity

Cieri, Robert L.; Churchill, Steven E.; Franciscus, Robert G.; Tan, Jingzhi; Hare, Brian

doi:10.1086/677209

Cited by 155 publications

(176 citation statements)

References 203 publications

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“…Within the last 200,000 y, additional changes in human craniofacial morphology raise the intriguing possibility of a second wave of selection against aggression that coincided with the emergence of behavioral modernity (69). Specifically, Cieri et al documented increased feminization of human crania from the Middle Pleistocene through the present-evidenced by a reduction in brow ridge projection and a shortening of the upper facial region (70). These anatomical changes are hypothesized to result from a reduction in androgen activity and are consistent with the well-documented effects of testosterone on craniofacial masculinization.…”

Section: Becoming Humanmentioning

confidence: 99%

Unraveling the evolution of uniquely human cognition

MacLean

2016

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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A satisfactory account of human cognitive evolution will explain not only the psychological mechanisms that make our species unique, but also how, when, and why these traits evolved. To date, researchers have made substantial progress toward defining uniquely human aspects of cognition, but considerably less effort has been devoted to questions about the evolutionary processes through which these traits have arisen. In this article, I aim to link these complementary aims by synthesizing recent advances in our understanding of what makes human cognition unique, with theory and data regarding the processes of cognitive evolution. I review evidence that uniquely human cognition depends on synergism between both representational and motivational factors and is unlikely to be accounted for by changes to any singular cognitive system. I argue that, whereas no nonhuman animal possesses the full constellation of traits that define the human mind, homologies and analogies of critical aspects of human psychology can be found in diverse nonhuman taxa. I suggest that phylogenetic approaches to the study of animal cognition-which can address questions about the selective pressures and proximate mechanisms driving cognitive change-have the potential to yield important insights regarding the processes through which the human cognitive phenotype evolved.cognitive evolution | human evolution | comparative psychology | human uniqueness | cognition Human minds seem unlike those of any other species. We participate in large-scale institutions, wage wars over beliefs, imagine the distant future, and communicate about these processes using syntax and symbols. What aspects of human cognition allow us to accomplish these seemingly unique feats, and are these processes qualitatively different from those of other animals? Equally importantly, how and why did such a peculiar psychology evolve? What was it about early human lifestyles that favored these flexible forms of cognition, and how did natural selection sculpt these features from a nonhuman ape-like foundation? The questions above address different levels of explanation (1, 2) for human cognitive uniqueness, but ultimately a satisfactory account of human cognitive evolution will explain not only the mechanisms that make our species unique, but also how, when, and why these traits evolved. To date, scientists have made substantial progress toward defining uniquely human aspects of cognition, but considerably less effort has been devoted to questions about the evolutionary processes through which these traits have arisen. In this article, I aim to link these unique but complementary aims by first highlighting recent advances in our understanding of how human psychology differs from that of other extant taxa. I then turn to the less well-understood questions of how, when, and why these traits evolved and underscore the importance of understanding evolutionary processes, not just their products, for a comprehensive understanding of human cognitive evolution. What Makes Human Cognition ...

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Section: Becoming Humanmentioning

confidence: 99%

Unraveling the evolution of uniquely human cognition

MacLean

2016

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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“…Some evidence indicates that Neanderthal and other archaic hominin species lived in harem mating structures, in which males physically compete for dominance and for the privilege of mating with a large number of females (Kelly 1995;Cieri et al 2014). This mating structure, which often leads to lethal violence, is typical of our nearest ape relatives, but it has not been witnessed in biologically modern human societies.…”

Section: Archaeological and Historical Evidence Of Violence In Human mentioning

confidence: 99%

Prehistoric Myths in Modern Political Philosophy

Widerquist

McCall

2017

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“…Steele and Weaver (comment on Cieri et al 2014) summarize their concerns with the theory this way: "Although we find this model intriguing, to be widely accepted it will need to overcome some challenges: ambiguous evidence, data deficiencies, and contradictory evidence." (See also comments on Cieri et al 2014 by Athreya, Holliday, and Wrangham…”

Section: Genetics Evolution and Behaviormentioning

confidence: 99%

How Troubling Is Our Inheritance? A Review of Genetics and Race in the Social Sciences

Cohen¹

2015

The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Scie

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This article addresses the argument that there is variation between races in the biological basis for social behavior. The article uses Nicholas Wade's popular book, A Troublesome Inheritance, as the point of departure for a discussion of attendant issues, including the extent to which human races can be definitively demarcated biologically, the extent to which genetics is related to contemporary definitions of race, and the role of natural selection as a possible mechanism for change in modern societies. My critical review of the theory and evidence for an evolutionary view of racial determinism finds that genetics does not explain the relative status and well-being of today's racially identified groups or their broader societies 2 Most social scientists who study race discount the possibility that racial biology plays a major role in the determination of social behavior and inequality. However, the foundation for this consensus may be weak. There is no firm evidence to support the importance of racial biology, and the notion is widely associated with racism, which makes the question of whether racial biology influences social behavior and inequality seem both tangential and tainted by stigma. This, along with their (our) lack of training in and interaction with biological sciences, presumably discourages social scientists from concerning themselves with the biology of race. One consequence of this avoidance is that the field is thin and relatively open. As genomic science progresses, it creates opportunities for discovery and exploration, but also for misappropriation and manipulation by scientific racists (Ossorio and Duster 2005). In this article

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Craniofacial Feminization, Social Tolerance, and the Origins of Behavioral Modernity

Cited by 155 publications

References 203 publications

Unraveling the evolution of uniquely human cognition

Unraveling the evolution of uniquely human cognition

Prehistoric Myths in Modern Political Philosophy

How Troubling Is Our Inheritance? A Review of Genetics and Race in the Social Sciences

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