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Heightened fearfulness as a developmental adaptation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 May 2023

David F. Bjorklund Open the ORCID record for David F. Bjorklund [Opens in a new window]  and
Carlos Hernández Blasi Open the ORCID record for Carlos Hernández Blasi [Opens in a new window]
David F. Bjorklund
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL 33431, USA dbjorklu@fau.edu http://www.psy.fau.edu/people/dbjorklu.php
Carlos Hernández Blasi
Affiliation:
Departamento de Psicología, Universitat Jaume I, 12071 Castellón, Spain blasi@uji.es
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Abstract

Although we find many merits to Grossmann's fearful ape hypothesis, unlike Grossmann, we see heightened fearfulness as an ontogenetic adaptation, signaling helplessness and fostering caregiving during infancy, which subsequently became exapted to promote cooperation. We also argue that, rather than being the “breeding ground” for enhanced infant fearfulness, cooperative care is more likely the evolved product of enhanced fearfulness.

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Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 46 , 2023 , e56
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press

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