Musical features emerging from a biocultural musicality (Popescu,Oesch&Buck 2020; BBS commentary on Savage et al. & Mehr et al. 2020)

Abstract

Savage et al. make a compelling case, Mehr et al. less so, for social bonding and credible signalling, respectively, as the main adaptive function of human musicality. We express general advocacy for the former thesis, highlighting: 1) overlap between the two; 2) direct versus derived biological functions, and 3) aspects of music embedded in cultural evolution, e.g. departures from tonality.

Sex and drugs and rock and roll

“…How do these and other general principles of musical esthetics arise, should they be reliable features of music across cultures? 5 Sievers & Wheatley are right that the credible signaling theory does not fully explain "why music sounds the way it does," but we do argue that patterned variability in recurrent acoustic forms present in music would be essential to convey the content of a credible signal , and we suggest a mechanism for the elaboration of that content (i.e., arms-race coevolution; . The details are still murky, however; hierarchical perception of the constituent parts of music (Hilton, Asano, & Boeckx [Hilton et al]) could in principle facilitate signal transmission, and draw on other forms of vocal signaling, such as emotional expression (see Zentner; Sievers & Wheatley).…”

“…To imitate the liquid notes of birds Was earlier far amongst men than power to make By measured song, melodious verse and give Delight to ears. (De Rerum Natura, Book V) 5 In non-human animals, most vocal adaptations evolve to send signals, which are defined as "any act or structure which alters the behaviour of other organisms, which evolved because of that effect, and which is effective because the receiver's response has also evolved" (Maynard Smith & Harper, 2003, p. 3). 6 On average, receivers benefit from responding to the signal, and signalers benefit from the receivers' response.…”

The evolution of music: One trait, many ultimate-level explanations

“…How do these and other general principles of musical esthetics arise, should they be reliable features of music across cultures? 5 Sievers & Wheatley are right that the credible signaling theory does not fully explain "why music sounds the way it does," but we do argue that patterned variability in recurrent acoustic forms present in music would be essential to convey the content of a credible signal , and we suggest a mechanism for the elaboration of that content (i.e., arms-race coevolution; . The details are still murky, however; hierarchical perception of the constituent parts of music (Hilton, Asano, & Boeckx [Hilton et al]) could in principle facilitate signal transmission, and draw on other forms of vocal signaling, such as emotional expression (see Zentner; Sievers & Wheatley).…”

“…To imitate the liquid notes of birds Was earlier far amongst men than power to make By measured song, melodious verse and give Delight to ears. (De Rerum Natura, Book V) 5 In non-human animals, most vocal adaptations evolve to send signals, which are defined as "any act or structure which alters the behaviour of other organisms, which evolved because of that effect, and which is effective because the receiver's response has also evolved" (Maynard Smith & Harper, 2003, p. 3). 6 On average, receivers benefit from responding to the signal, and signalers benefit from the receivers' response.…”

Challenging infant-directed singing as a credible signal of maternal attention

“…To imitate the liquid notes of birds Was earlier far amongst men than power to make By measured song, melodious verse and give Delight to ears. (De Rerum Natura, Book V) 5 In non-human animals, most vocal adaptations evolve to send signals, which are defined as "any act or structure which alters the behaviour of other organisms, which evolved because of that effect, and which is effective because the receiver's response has also evolved" (Maynard Smith & Harper, 2003, p. 3). 6 On average, receivers benefit from responding to the signal, and signalers benefit from the receivers' response.…”