What makes us human (Homo sapiens)? The challenge of cognitive cross-species comparison.

Boesch, Christophe

doi:10.1037/0735-7036.121.3.227

Cited by 198 publications

(193 citation statements)

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“…The adjacent discipline of cross-cultural psychology is wrestling with related problems, and has proposed some solutions (e.g. [95]), but has yet to greatly impact the field of human evolutionary behavioural sciences (for exceptions see [93,[96][97][98]). …”

Section: (I) Variation and Universalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolutionary accounts of human behavioural diversity

Brown

Dickins

Sear

et al. 2011

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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Human beings persist in an extraordinary range of ecological settings, in the process exhibiting enormous behavioural diversity, both within and between populations. People vary in their social, mating and parental behaviour and have diverse and elaborate beliefs, traditions, norms and institutions. The aim of this theme issue is to ask whether, and how, evolutionary theory can help us to understand this diversity. In this introductory article, we provide a background to the debate surrounding how best to understand behavioural diversity using evolutionary models of human behaviour. In particular, we examine how diversity has been viewed by the main subdisciplines within the human evolutionary behavioural sciences, focusing in particular on the human behavioural ecology, evolutionary psychology and cultural evolution approaches. In addition to differences in focus and methodology, these subdisciplines have traditionally varied in the emphasis placed on human universals, ecological factors and socially learned behaviour, and on how they have addressed the issue of genetic variation. We reaffirm that evolutionary theory provides an essential framework for understanding behavioural diversity within and between human populations, but argue that greater integration between the subfields is critical to developing a satisfactory understanding of diversity.

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Section: (I) Variation and Universalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolutionary accounts of human behavioural diversity

Brown

Dickins

Sear

et al. 2011

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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“…Kaminski et al, 2008, Hare et al, 2000, Hare et al, 2001. However, it is not currently clear to what extent these cognitive abilities seen in captive apes are acquired via contact with humans and which features are typical of chimpanzees in general (Bering, 2004, Boesch, 2008, Boesch, 2007, Call and Tomasello, 1996. Therefore it is important to investigate cognitive capacities in wild populations on the propensity to produce gestures by the chimpanzees.…”

Section: Katja Liebal 2004mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While these theoretical considerations of social cognitive enhancement appear plausible in light of data from captivity, some authors interpret these findings with caution and instead suggest the need for further systematic studies of cognitive skills underlying social behaviour in wild apes. For instance, Suddendorf and Whiten (2001) argue that apes develop their most sophisticated cognitive skills in the wild and that the apparent effects of enculturation on cognition and behaviour in captive apes are due to differences in degree of impoverishment of the social environment rather than its enhancement (see also Boesch, 2007, Boesch, 2008. Bering (2004) suggests that great ape cognition in captivity does not change in any fundamental way when interacting with humans, but rather that interactions with humans lead to a change in behaviour in that these apes acquire different problem solving skills on novel objects.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, the extent to which these abilities seen in captive apes are acquired via contact with humans or are typical of chimpanzees in general remains unclear (Call and Tomasello, 1996, Boesch, 2008, Boesch, 2007. Therefore, it is also important to investigate cognitive capacities in wild ape populations, because their social and ecological environment may shape their cognition in a manner that is more characteristic of the social and ecological environment of the last common ancestor when compared with that of captive populations.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Usage and comprehension of manual gestures in wild chimpanzees

2012

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An important element in understanding the evolutionary origin of human language is to explore homologous traits in cognition and communication between primates and humans (Burling, 1993, Hewes, 1973. One proposed modality of language evolution is that of gestural communication, defined as communicative movements of hands without using or touching objects (de Waal, 2003). While homologies between primate calls and language have been relatively well explored, we still have a limited understanding of how cognitive abilities may have shaped the characteristics of primate gestures (Corballis, 2003). In this Ph.D. research, I investigated the cognitive skills underlying gestural communication in both wild and language trained chimpanzees, with a special focus on the repertoire and the intentionality of production and comprehension. The study of cognitive skills underlying the production of the repertoire and the role of intentionality is important because these skills are cognitively demanding and are a prerequisite in human infants for their ability to acquire language (Baldwin, 1995, Olson, 1993. My research suggests that chimpanzee gestural communication is cognitively complex and may be homologous with the cognitive skills evident in pre-verbal infants on the cusp of language acquisition.Chimpanzees display a multifaceted and complex signal repertoire of manual gestures. These gestures are the prototypes, within which there is variation, and between which the iv boundaries are not clear-cut, but there is gradation apparent along several morphological components. Both wild and language trained chimpanzees communicate intentionally about their perceived desires and the actions that they want the recipients to undertake. They do not just express their emotions, but they communicate flexibly by adjusting their communicative tactics in response to the comprehension states of the recipient. Whilst chimpanzees communicate their intentions flexibly, the messages conveyed are specific. However, recipients comprehend gestures flexibly in light of the signaller"s overall intentions.Whilst wild and language trained chimpanzee gestural communication revealed similar cognitive characteristics, language trained chimpanzees outperformed wild apes in that they had ability to use signals which made distinctions that human deictic words can make. Whilst these differences between wild and language trained chimpanzees may be due to the different methodological approaches used, it is conceivable that language training may have influenced captive ape cognitive skills in the representational domain. These results from wild and language trained chimpanzees indicate that chimpanzees possess some form of cognitive skills necessary for language development and that cognitive skills underlying repertoire and use in chimpanzees are a shared capacity between humans, other apes and a common ancestor. These findings render theories of the gestural origins of language more plausible.v

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“…Consequently, humans and chimpanzees share numerous similarities in terms of both 83 cognition and behaviour (Boesch 2007; de Waal 2005;Tomasello and Call 1997). 84…”

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confidence: 99%

Evolutionary precursors of social norms in chimpanzees: a new approach

2010

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Moral behaviour, based on social norms, is commonly regarded as a hallmark of humans. Hitherto, humans are perceived to be the only species possessing social norms and to engage in moral behaviour. There is anecdotal evidence suggesting their presence in chimpanzees, but systematic studies are lacking. Here, we examine the evolution of human social norms and their underlying psychological mechanisms. For this, we distinguish between conventions, cultural social norms and universal social norms. We aim at exploring whether chimpanzees possess evolutionary precursors of universal social norms seen in humans. Chimpanzees exhibit important preconditions for their presence and enforcement: tolerant societies, well-developed social-cognitive skills and empathetic competence. Here, we develop a theoretical framework for recognizing different functional levels of social norms and distinguish them from mere statistical behavioural regularities. Quasi social norms are found where animals behave functionally moral without having moral emotions. In proto social norms, moral emotions might be present but cannot be collectivized due to the absence of a uniquely human psychological trait, i.e. shared intentionality. Human social norms, whether they are universal or cultural, involve moral emotions and are collectivized. We will discuss behaviours in chimpanzees that represent potential evolutionary precursors of human universal social norms, with special focus on social interactions involving infants. We argue that chimpanzee infants occupy a special status within their communities and propose that tolerance towards them might represent a proto social norm. Finally, we discuss possible ways to test this theoretical framework. 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 2 Abstract 52 53 54 Moral behaviour, based on social norms, is commonly regarded as a hallmark of 55 humans. Hitherto, humans are perceived to be the only species possessing social norms and to 56 engage in moral behaviour. There is anecdotal evidence suggesting their presence in 57 chimpanzees, but systematic studies are lacking. Here, we examine the evolution of human 58 social norms and their underlying psychological mechanisms. For this, we distinguish 59 between conventions, cultural social norms and universal social norms. We aim at exploring 60 whether chimpanzees possess evolutionary precursors of universal social norms seen in 61 humans. Chimpanzees exhibit important preconditions for their presence and enforcement: 62 tolerant societies, well-developed social-cognitive skills and empathetic competence. Here, 63we develop a theoretical framework for recognizing different functional levels of social norms 64 and distinguish them from mere statistical behavioural regularities. Quasi social norms are 65 found where animals behave functionally moral without having moral emotions. In proto 66 social norms, moral emotions might be present but cannot be collectivized due to the absence 6...

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What makes us human (Homo sapiens)? The challenge of cognitive cross-species comparison.

Cited by 198 publications

References 184 publications

Evolutionary accounts of human behavioural diversity

Evolutionary accounts of human behavioural diversity

Usage and comprehension of manual gestures in wild chimpanzees

Evolutionary precursors of social norms in chimpanzees: a new approach

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