Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-vfjqv Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-25T17:00:51.208Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Brain scaling, behavioral ability, and human evolution

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 October 2001

P. Thomas Schoenemann
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104–6398 ptschoen@sas.upenn.edu http://www.sas.upenn.edu/~ptschoen

Abstract

The existence of linked regularities in size among brain components across species is, by itself, not a strong argument against the importance of behavioral selection in brain evolution. A careful consideration of hominid brain evolution suggests that brain components can change their scaling relationships over time, and that behavioral selection was likely crucial. The best neuroanatomical index of a given behavioral ability can only be determined empirically, not through comparative analysis of brain anatomy alone.

Type
Brief Report
Copyright
© 2001 Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)