Given this situation, preference for smarter child-bearing/rearing partners increases the chance that their descendants will inherit the best resistance alleles, not only for immune system resistance to disease, but also smarter brains for learning skills in avoiding disease and selecting nutritious food. Tamed foxes, for example, exhibit advanced forms of social communication (following pointing gestures), pedomorphic physical features (childlike faces, floppy ears) and even rudimentary forms of theory of mind (eye contact seeking, gaze following). Useful brain indices have been proposed [e.g., Jerison, 1973, 1977; Passingham, 1975; Riddell and Corl, 1977], but behavioral meas ures currently in use are too limited or have questionable validity as in dices of intelligence. How widespread is adult neurogenesis in mammals? Brain size and intelligence The human brain is around four times bigger than a chimp brain and around 15 times larger than a mouse brain. Useful brain indices have been proposed [e.g., Jerison, 1973, 1977; Passingham, 1975; Riddell and Corl, 1977], but behavioral meas ures currently in use are too limited or have questionable validity as in dices of intelligence. In rodents, however, the expansion of brain size led to only small increases in the number of neurons, with little or no improvement in cognitive ability. If you were to put a mouse brain, a chimp brain and a human brain next to each other and compare them it might seem obvious … For example, if only individuals capable of remembering what they had agreed to were punished for breaking agreements, evolution would have selected against the ability to remember what one had agreed to. [58] The LPFC is commonly associated with planning and working memory functions. The final third of our evolution saw nearly all the action in brain size. [57] Researchers have attributed hominin evolution to mosaic evolution. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. According to this strand of thought what led to the evolution of advanced intelligence in Homo sapiens was a drastic reduction of the aggressive drive. Sexual selection for intelligence and judging ability can act on indicators of success, such as highly visible displays of wealth. But if the female's birth canal grew too wide, her pelvis would be so wide that she would lose the ability to run, which was a necessary skill 2 million years ago. Human intelligence is developed to an extreme level that is not necessarily adaptive in an evolutionary sense. [53] The trait of head size has become generally fixed in modern human beings. brain indices to address questions about the evolution of the brain and in telligence. The evolution of human intelligence is closely tied to the evolution of the human brain and to the origin of language. Primates, elephants and cetaceans are assumed to be more intelligent than ‘lower’ mammals, the great apes and humans more than monkeys, and humans more than the great apes. Brain and body size increase Social Exchange is a vital adaptation that evolved in social species and has become exceptionally specialized in humans. The introductory chapter covers the studies of animal behavior and their implications about the nature of the animal's world. Average intelligence doesn't differ much between genders, but because female selection is restricted more towards males at the top end of male-male hierarchies or those increasingly above average in physical attractiveness, male trait distributions often have longer tails; that is to say the lowest and highest intelligences (and many more traits) in male populations extend further out into the lowest and highest values of the distribution than for female traits. Evolution of brain, cognition, and general Intelligence. Intelligence: What Is It? Bigger Brains Are Better—Up to a Point. This is because it paid to be a highly variable male, as average males would have consistently low opportunity, but variable males had a chance of falling on the preferred side of the trait distribution. "Ecological dominance, social competition, and coalitionary arms races: Why humans evolved extraordinary intelligence", "Metabolic costs of brain size evolution", "Chapter 9: Myth and Mystification: The Science of Race and IQ", "Human evolution expanded brains to increase expertise capacity, not IQ", "Mosaic evolution and the pattern of transitions in the hominin lineage", "The Wernicke area: Modern evidence and a reinterpretation", "The Roots of Alzheimer's Disease: Are High-Expanding Cortical Areas Preferentially Targeted?†", "Inhibition of SRGAP2 function by its human-specific paralogs induces neoteny during spine maturation", "The von Economo neurons in the frontoinsular and anterior cingulate cortex", "The role of the striatum in social behavior", Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Evolutionary psychology research groups and centers, Bibliography of evolution and human behavior, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Evolution_of_human_intelligence&oldid=989247392, CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2009, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2017, Articles with unsourced statements from February 2015, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2011, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2019, Articles which contain graphical timelines, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 17 November 2020, at 21:59. [citation needed], The "Great Leap Forward" leading to full behavioral modernity sets in only after this separation. Hominids would have been chosen for greater intelligence as an indicator of healthy genes and a Fisherian runaway positive feedback loop of sexual selection would have led to the evolution of human intelligence in a relatively short period. [citation needed] However, modern Homo sapiens have a brain volume slightly smaller (1250 cm3) than neanderthals, and the Flores hominids (Homo floresiensis), nicknamed hobbits, had a cranial capacity of about 380 cm3 (considered small for a chimpanzee) about a third of that of H. erectus. The great apes (hominidae) show some cognitive and empathic abilities. The book is divided into four parts encompassing 17 chapters that emphasize the implications of the history of the brain for the evolution of behavior in vertebrates. Evolution of The Brain and Intelligence - Kindle edition by Jerison, Harry. While sexually selected ornaments such as peacock feathers and moose antlers develop either during or after puberty, timing their costs to a sexually mature age, human brains expend large amounts of nutrients building myelin and other brain mechanisms for efficient communication between the neurons early in life. However, selection will only pressure social exchange when both parties are receiving mutual benefits from their relative situation; if one party cheats the other by receiving a benefit while the other is harmed, then selection will stop. This reduced the human population to less than 10,000 breeding pairs in equatorial Africa, from which all modern humans are descended. Allen, Elizabeth, et al. Rather, intelligence may have been a fitness indicator. [57], Simian primate brain evolution studies show that specific cortical regions associated with high-level cognition have demonstrated the greatest expansion over primate brain evolution. Note: This article is a review of another work, such as a book, film, musical composition, etc. The exceptions to the predictions of the social intelligence hypothesis, which that hypothesis has no predictive model for, are successfully predicted by diets that are either nutritious but scarce or abundant but poor in nutrients. brain indices to address questions about the evolution of the brain and in telligence. Growing human brains require more nutrition than brains of related species of ape. These group dynamics relate to Theory of Mind or the ability to understand the thoughts and emotions of others, though Dunbar himself admits in the same book that it is not the flocking itself that causes intelligence to evolve (as shown by ruminants). [56] Additionally, the Wernicke's area is located in the TPJ. On a mechanistic level these changes are believed to be the result of a systemic downregulation of the sympathetic nervous system (the fight-or-flight reflex). Previc emphasizes the contribution of nutritional factors, especially meat and shellfish consumption, to elevations of dopaminergic activity in the brain, which may have been responsible for the evolution of human intelligence since dopamine is crucial to working memory, cognitive shifting, abstract, distant concepts, and other hallmarks of advanced intelligence. Buy Evolution of the Brain and Intelligence on Amazon.com FREE SHIPPING on qualified orders Evolution of the Brain and Intelligence: Jerison, Harry J.: 9780124121959: Amazon.com: Books Skip to main content [56] The ACC is associated with detecting errors, monitoring conflict, motor control, and emotion. However, factors that correlate better with intelligence are the number of cortical neurons and conduction velocity, as the basis for information-processing capacity. About 200,000 years ago Europe and the Middle East were colonized by Neanderthal man, extinct by 39,000 years ago following the appearance of modern humans in the region from 40,000 to 45,000 years ago. Their research led them to believe that there was considerable "selection pressure" to evolve the brain into a larger, stronger unit. The evolution of human intelligence is closely tied to the evolution of the human brain and to the origin of language. All Rights Reserved. In addition, there is evidence to suggest that the success of groups is dependent on their size at foundation, with groupings of around 150 being particularly successful, potentially reflecting the fact that communities of this size strike a balance between the minimum size of effective functionality and the maximum size for creating a sense of commitment to the community. One problem with the hypothesis that specific punishment for intentional deception could coevolve with intelligence is the fact that selective punishment of individuals with certain characteristics selects against the characteristics in question. [18], Meerkats have far more social relationships than their small brain capacity would suggest. In the end, increasing its overall chance of surviving a competing group. [45], In many species, only males have impressive secondary sexual characteristics such as ornaments and show-off behavior, but sexual selection is also thought to be able to act on females as well in at least partially monogamous species. [27][28] Evidence also comes from the field of ethology (which is the study of animal behavior, focused on observing species in their natural habitat rather than in controlled laboratory settings) where it has been found that animals with a gentle and relaxed manner of interacting with each other – like for example stumptailed macaques, orangutans and bonobos – have more advanced socio-cognitive abilities than those found among the more aggressive chimpanzees and baboons. This adaption will develop by natural selection when two parties can make themselves better off than they were before by exchanging things one party values less for things the other party values for more. [17] Researchers have found that frugivores tend to exhibit larger brain size than folivores. [50] Even more people live with moderate mental damages, such as inability to complete difficult tasks, that are not classified as 'diseases' by medical standards, may still be considered as inferior mates by potential sexual partners. Today, the Journals Division publishes more than 70 journals and hardcover serials, in a wide range of academic disciplines, including the social sciences, the humanities, education, the biological and medical sciences, and the physical sciences. ", "Animal evolution during domestication: the domesticated fox as a model", "Theory of Mind: Towards an Evolutionary Theory", "Colloquium paper: adaptive specializations, social exchange, and the evolution of human intelligence". [62] On a cellular level, studies demonstrate von Economo neurons (VENs) are more prevalent in humans than other primates. Sexual selection is often thought to be a likely explanation for other female-specific human traits, for example breasts and buttocks far larger in proportion to total body size than those found in related species of ape. Given the immense anatomical and structural complexity of the brain, its evolution (and the congruent evolution of human intelligence), can only be reorganized in a finite number of ways. [63] Studies show that the striatum plays a role in understanding reward and pair-bond formation. Without sexual selection, an unattractive individual might find a superior mate with few deleterious mutations, and have healthy children that are likely to survive. [13], Dunbar argues that when the size of a social group increases, the number of different relationships in the group may increase by orders of magnitude. Science 02 Aug 1974: Vol. As their environment changed from continuous forest to patches of forest separated by expanses of grassland, some primates adapted to a partly or fully ground-dwelling life. The continuous process of creating, interacting, and adjusting to other individuals is a key component of many species' ecology. The first 3 million years of this timeline concern Sahelanthropus, the following 2 million concern Australopithecus and the final 2 million span the history of the genus Homo in the Paleolithic era. [61] The human variant of the gene SRGAP2, SRGAP2C, enables greater dendritic spine density which fosters greater neural connections. Today, evolution in general would seem to be, well…out of date. Increased brain size in humans may allow for greater capacity for specialized expertise. Along with this, there is a more developed neocortex, a folding of the cerebral cortex, and von Economo neurons. "Effects of domestication on the adrenal cortisol production of silver foxes during embryonic development ". Brain size increases slowly. Communicating across the subfields, the journal features papers in a wide variety of areas, including social, cultural, and physical anthropology as well as ethnology and ethnohistory, archaeology and prehistory, folklore, and linguistics. Evolution of the brain and intelligence Gerhard Roth1,2 and Ursula Dicke2 1Hanse Institute for Advanced Study, D-27753 Delmenhorst, Germany 2Brain Research Institute, University of Bremen, D-28334 Bremen, Germany Intelligence has evolved many times independently among … [56] For example, researchers associate the expanded TPJ region with Alzheimer's disease. Current issues are now on the Chicago Journals website. When people search for mates based on their success, wealth, reputation, disease-free body appearance, or psychological traits such as benevolence or confidence; the effect is to select for superior intelligence that results in superior disease resistance. [4] With respect to brain evolution, Edinger applied this scala naturae suggesting that the brains of living vertebrates retained ancestral structures, but that new brain areas were added onto older ones, or older areas increased in size and complexity to form new areas (Figure 1A ). As advancement, survival and reproduction within an increasing complex social structure favored ever more advanced social skills, communication of concepts through increasingly complex language patterns ensued. The social brain hypothesis was proposed by British anthropologist Robin Dunbar, who argues that human intelligence did not evolve primarily as a means to solve ecological problems, but rather as a means of surviving and reproducing in large and complex social groups. With their three times smaller brain the Flores hominids apparently used fire and made tools as sophisticated as those of their ancestor H.erectus. [19] Extractive foraging requires higher cognitive processing, which could help explain larger brain size. This adaptation enabled the human brain to continue to grow, but it imposed a new discipline. Fully modern behaviour, including figurative art, music, self-ornamentation, trade, burial rites etc. [19] However, other researchers argue that extractive foraging was not a catalyst in the evolution of primate brain size, demonstrating that some non primates exhibit advanced foraging techniques. [56] Researchers attribute this result to the constraints on the evolutionary process of increasing brain size. By Stephen Jay Gould. The human brain is a highly complex and central organ that is capable of performing a number of important functions like memory, intelligence, arousal, motivation, and hemostasis. [citation needed] As a result, humans became even more dependent on tool-making to compete with other animals and other humans, and relied less on body size and strength. is evident by 30,000 years ago. In addition, the theory of group selection is inherently tied to Darwin's theory of natural selection. The book is divided into four parts encompassing 17 chapters that emphasize the implications of the history of the brain for the evolution of behavior in vertebrates. Therefore, systems are specialized to detect contract violations that imply intentional cheating.[41]. A more social and communicative person would be more easily selected. Group selection theory contends that organism characteristics that provide benefits to a group (clan, tribe, or larger population) can evolve despite individual disadvantages such as those cited above. Grant says that this finding offers scientists a new way to approach the study of brain evolution and intelligence and, perhaps more importantly, suggests that looking at sheer brain … Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. [52] Thus the direct adaptive benefit of human intelligence is questionable at least in modern societies, while it is difficult to study in prehistoric societies. [19] Other explanations for the positive correlation between brain size and frugivory highlight how the high-energy, frugivore diet facilitates fetal brain growth and requires spatial mapping to locate the embedded foods. [18], Diets deficient in iron, zinc, protein, iodine, B vitamins, omega 3 fatty acids, magnesium and other nutrients can result in lower intelligence[67][68] either in the mother during pregnancy or in the child during development. 185, Issue 4149, pp. It is crucial to keep in mind that evolution operates within a limited framework at a given point in time. Evolution of The Brain and Intelligence - Kindle edition by Jerison, Harry. CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (, How the body shapes the way we think: A new view of intelligence, Rolf Pfeifer, Josh Bongard, Eccles, John C. (1989). Roughly 2.4 million years ago Homo habilis had appeared in East Africa: the first known human species, and the first known to make stone tools, yet the disputed findings of signs of tool use from even earlier ages and from the same vicinity as multiple Australopithecus fossils may put to question how much more intelligent than its predecessors H. habilis was. According to proponents of the Toba catastrophe theory, the climate in non-tropical regions of the earth experienced a sudden freezing about 70,000 years ago, because of a huge explosion of the Toba volcano that filled the atmosphere with volcanic ash for several years. [24], Another theory that tries to explain the growth of human intelligence is the reduced aggression theory (aka self-domestication theory). Intelligence has evolved many times independently among vertebrates. A big portion of the scholarly literature focus on the evolution, and subsequent influence, of culture. The book is divided into four parts encompassing 17 chapters that emphasize the implications of the history of the brain for the evolution of behavior in vertebrates. These concepts can be tied to the social brain hypothesis, mentioned above. As a result, the primary selective pressure for increasing human intelligence shifted from learning to master the natural world to competition for dominance among members or groups of its own species. Belyaev, D. K. 1984. [18] One potential explanation for this finding is that frugivory requires 'extractive foraging,' or the process of locating and preparing hard-shelled foods, such as nuts, insects, and fruit. Brain properties assumed to be relevant for intelligence are the (absolute or relative) size of the brain, cortex, prefrontal cortex and degree of encephalization. 400 DOI: 10.1126/science.185.4149.400 . "Foxes" pp. London: Routledge. [56] Specifically, researchers have found that the ACC in humans is disproportionately expanded when compared to the ACC in macaques. In other words, the adaptations that a species can develop are not infinite and are defined by what has already taken place in the evolutionary timeline of a species. 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