Adjusting the Aperture: Decolonizing Time in Studies of Human Behavior and Evolution.

Area of Science:

• Biological Anthropology
• Human Evolution
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Historically, biological anthropology has centered on foraging and pastoralist groups for studying human behavior and evolution.
• This focus creates a framework where these communities perceive time differently than industrialized societies, impacting our understanding of behavioral phenomena.
• Selective sampling has persisted despite advanced theoretical models applicable across diverse populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critique the traditional reliance on foraging communities in biological anthropology.
• To advocate for a broader inclusion of diverse economic and subsistence practices in the study of human behavior and evolution.
• To address limitations in understanding human behavioral variability caused by narrow sampling.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis of existing frameworks in biological anthropology.
• Review of theoretical models and their applicability across different economic systems.
• Examination of the impact of globalization on traditional communities.

Main Results:

• The persistent focus on specific populations constrains interpretations of social processes and human behavioral capacity.
• Existing theoretical models are often underutilized due to assumptions about non-industrialized communities.
• Observer bias is a significant issue in heavily sampled communities.

Conclusions:

• Decolonial efforts require moving beyond assumptions about change in foraging communities.
• Research questions must incorporate analyses of change and acknowledge observer bias.
• Expanding research to include all economic and subsistence practices is vital for a complete understanding of human behavior and evolution.