Cognitive archeology, body cognition, and hand-tool interaction
Emiliano Bruner1, Annapaola Fedato1, María Silva-Gago1
1Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana, Burgos, Spain.
Progress in Brain Research
|August 12, 2018
Summary
Paleoneurology offers limited insights into human evolution, but parietal lobe expansion in humans and Neanderthals is evident. Haptic cognition and emotional responses during tool use reveal unique human technological capacities.
Area of Science:
- Paleoneurology
- Human Evolution
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Investigating body cognition and lateralization in fossils is challenging due to limitations in paleoneurology.
- Hemispheric asymmetries are common across extinct human species, and motor cortical areas are difficult to discern in endocranial casts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore how paleoneurology, hand morphology, and physiological responses can illuminate cognitive evolution, particularly haptic cognition and tool use.
- To investigate evidence for cognitive discontinuities in the archeological record.
Main Methods:
- Analyzing paleoneurological data for parietal region expansion in humans and Neanderthals.
- Examining hand morphology metrics (size, thumb-to-palm ratio).
- Measuring electrodermal activity during tool manipulation in modern humans to assess emotional engagement.
Main Results:
- Paleoneurology suggests parietal expansion in both modern humans and Neanderthals, crucial for visuospatial and eye-hand-tool management.
- Hand morphology is primarily influenced by size, followed by thumb length relative to palm size.
- Electrodermal responses during tool use differ between sexes and are associated with specific Paleolithic technologies, indicating emotional engagement.
Conclusions:
- Haptic cognition and emotional engagement during tool use represent specialized prosthetic technological capacities in modern humans.
- These findings provide indirect evidence for cognitive discontinuities within the archeological record.
- While paleoneurology has limitations, integrating anatomical and functional data offers insights into cognitive evolution.
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