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Mimicking the Function of Signaling Proteins: Toward Artificial Signal Transduction Therapy
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Mimicking the Function of Signaling Proteins: Toward Artificial Signal Transduction Therapy

Published on: September 29, 2016

Functionally referential signals: a promising paradigm whose time has passed.

Brandon C Wheeler1, Julia Fischer

  • 1Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, Germany. bcwheeler43@gmail.com

Evolutionary Anthropology
|October 18, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Functionally referential signals in primate communication may not be the key to understanding human language origins. Receiver sophistication shows continuity, but context-specific signals might involve simpler cognition than previously thought.

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Area of Science:

  • Primate communication
  • Evolution of language
  • Animal cognition

Background:

  • Functionally referential signals in primates were once thought to be word-like and key to language evolution.
  • These signals were considered promising due to receiver-specific inferences about the environment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the concept of functional reference in primate communication.
  • To discuss modern perspectives on its role in understanding human language origins.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on functionally referential signals.
  • Analysis of cognitive processes in nonhuman primate communication receivers.

Main Results:

  • Sophistication of receivers suggests cognitive continuity between primates and humans, but this is not unique to functionally referential signals.
  • Context-specific signals may involve simpler cognitive processing than less specific signals.

Conclusions:

  • The concept of functional reference, while historically important, may be a 'red herring' in the study of language evolution.
  • Focusing on context-specific calls might detract from understanding more complex cognitive processes in communication.