Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 6, 2026
07:00
Acquisition of High-Quality Digital Video of Drosophila Larval and Adult Behaviors from a Lateral Perspective
Published on: October 4, 2014
9.1K
Manual laterality and cognition through evolution: An archeological perspective.
1Department of Linguistic and Cultural Evolution, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Jena, Germany.
Progress in Brain Research
|August 12, 2018
Summary
Archeological data reveal that motor biases and anatomical asymmetries, indicating laterality, were present in early human ancestors. Right-handedness became more predominant over evolutionary time.
Area of Science:
- Paleoanthropology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Understanding the evolution of lateralized motor biases and cognitive functions requires examining prehistoric data.
- Existing data primarily focus on the hominin lineage from 6-8 million years ago to the present.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide an overview of paleontological and archeological data concerning human laterality.
- To explore the evolutionary trajectory of motor biases and anatomical asymmetries in human ancestors.
Main Methods:
- Review of archeological and paleontological evidence related to asymmetry and laterality in the hominin fossil record.
- Analysis of prehistoric data to identify trends in motor biases and anatomical asymmetries over time.
Main Results:
- Lateralized motor biases and anatomical asymmetries are evident throughout human prehistory.
- A notable increase in the predominance of right-handedness was observed over time.
- Laterality was a significant aspect of the motor-cognitive development in extinct human ancestors.
Conclusions:
- Laterality has been a fundamental characteristic of human evolution.
- While behavioral markers like handedness suggest cognitive laterality, caution is advised when inferring functional brain lateralization.
- Further research on living humans is necessary to fully understand the colateralization of cognitive functions in the brain.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Social Cognitive Perspective on Personality
1.0K
Social cognitive perspectives on personality emphasize the importance of conscious awareness, beliefs, expectations, and goals in shaping behavior. These perspectives incorporate behaviorist principles, such as learning through reinforcement and conditioning, but extend beyond them by highlighting human reasoning and planning. Unlike traditional behaviorist views, social cognitive theory focuses on how individuals reflect on their past experiences and plan for future outcomes by considering...
1.0K
02:55The Evidence for Evolution
48.3K
Genetic variations accumulating within populations over generations give rise to biological evolution. Evolutionary changes can result in the formation of novel varieties and entire new species. These changes are responsible for the diverse forms of life inhabiting the planet. The evidence for evolution suggests that all living organisms descended from common ancestors.
48.3K
01:54Convergent Evolution
33.0K
Evolution shapes the features of organisms over time, ensuring that they are suited for the environments in which they live. Sometimes, selection pressure leads to the rise of similar but unrelated adaptations in organisms with no recent common ancestors, a process known as convergent evolution.
33.0K
01:38Cognitive Dissonance
37.5K
Social psychologists have documented that feeling good about ourselves and maintaining positive self-esteem is a powerful motivator of human behavior (Tavris & Aronson, 2008). In the United States, members of the predominant culture typically think very highly of themselves and view themselves as good people who are above average on many desirable traits (Ehrlinger, Gilovich, & Ross, 2005). Often, our behavior, attitudes, and beliefs are affected when we experience a threat to our...
37.5K
01:27Psychodynamic Perspectives on Personality
1.6K
The psychodynamic perspective in psychology asserts that most personality functions operate unconsciously, outside of awareness. This means that the motives and emotions driving behavior often remain hidden, automatically buried in the unconscious mind as a defense mechanism to shield us from psychological distress. According to this theory, the unconscious mind contains thoughts, memories, and emotions that are too disturbing to face directly.
Psychodynamic theorists argue that unconscious...
Psychodynamic theorists argue that unconscious...
1.6K
01:24Eukaryotic Evolution
41.7K
The endosymbiont theory is the most widely accepted theory of eukaryotic evolution; however, its progression is still somewhat debated. According to the nucleus-first hypothesis, the ancestral prokaryote first evolved a membrane to enclose DNA and form the nucleus. Conversely, the mitochondria-first hypothesis suggests that the nucleus was formed after endosymbiosis of mitochondria.
Contrary to the endosymbiont theory, the eukaryote-first hypothesis proposes that the simpler prokaryotic and...
Contrary to the endosymbiont theory, the eukaryote-first hypothesis proposes that the simpler prokaryotic and...
41.7K