Investigating and identifying evolutionary factors

This paper explores some of the evolutionary factors that may have contributed to the development and evolution of the human brain. It is proposed that brain size increased as a result of positive selection for enhanced cognition and social skills, while changes in brain shape were driven by changes in diet and locomotion. The evolution of the human brain is thus a complex story, with many different factors playing a role.

It is generally agreed that the human brain has undergone substantial evolution over the course of our species' history. But what exactly drove these changes? In this paper, we explore some of the possible evolutionary factors that may have played a role in shaping the human brain.

Brain size is one of the most obvious ways in which our brains differ from those of our ancestors. It is generally accepted that brain size increased during human evolution, and this increase is thought to be linked to the development of enhanced cognition and social skills. Changes in brain shape are also thought to be related to changes in diet and locomotion.

It is clear that the evolution of the human brain is a complex story, with many different factors playing a role. However, by understanding the various evolutionary pressures that have acted on our brains over time, we can gain a better understanding of the unique features of the human mind.

References:

Aiello, L. C., and Dunbar, R. I. M. (1993). Neocortex size, group size, and the evolution of language. Current Anthropology, 34(2), 184-193.

Byrne, R. W., and Whiten, A. (1988). Machiavellian intelligence: Social expertise and the evolution of intellect in monkeys, apes, and humans. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

Dunbar, R. I. M. (1998). Grooming, gossip, and the evolution of language. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.