Locomotor and Cognitive Evolution in Early Hominins: An Evo-Devo Perspective
1Department of Anthropology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA, dfalk@fsu.edu.
Brain, Behavior and Evolution
|April 18, 2026
Summary
Human infants
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary developmental biology (evo-devo)
- Paleoanthropology
- Comparative psychology
Background:
- Investigates the link between early hominin locomotor development and cognitive evolution.
- Utilizes an evo-devo framework and the Extended Evolutionary Synthesis (EES).
- Examines comparative ontogenetic data from human and chimpanzee infants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore how changes in locomotor milestones influenced cognitive advancements in early hominins.
- To understand the evolutionary trajectory from ape-like ancestors to habitual bipedalism.
- To assess the role of bipedalism in the development of advanced cognition.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of ontogenetic locomotor development in humans and chimpanzees.
- Review of existing research on hominin evolution and cognitive development.
- Application of evo-devo principles and EES theoretical underpinnings.
Main Results:
- Human crawling may have evolved from a knuckle-walking stage in ape-like ancestors.
- Modifications in crawling, sitting, and pointing, alongside bipedalism, drove locomotion and cognitive evolution.
- Locomotor evolution and advanced cognition were interconnected throughout hominin evolution.
Conclusions:
- Human infant crawling is a derived trait, replacing a likely ancestral knuckle-walking stage.
- Evolutionary changes in locomotion and cognition were intertwined in hominin development.
- Comparative infant studies offer insights into hominin evolutionary pathways.
Related Concept Videos
01:18Hierarchy of Motor Control
5.5K
The hierarchy of motor control refers to the different levels of organization and processing involved in controlling movement in the body. These levels range from higher cortical areas involved in planning and decision-making to lower spinal cord reflexes that respond automatically to external stimuli.
5.5K
01:21Cognitive Learning
1.6K
Cognitive learning is based on purposive behavior, incidental learning, and insight learning.
E. C. Tolman's theory of purposive behavior emphasizes that much behavior is goal-directed. He argued that to understand behavior, we must look at the entire sequence of actions leading to a goal. For instance, high school students study hard, not just due to past reinforcement but also to achieve the goal of getting into a good college.
Tolman introduced the idea that behavior is influenced by...
E. C. Tolman's theory of purposive behavior emphasizes that much behavior is goal-directed. He argued that to understand behavior, we must look at the entire sequence of actions leading to a goal. For instance, high school students study hard, not just due to past reinforcement but also to achieve the goal of getting into a good college.
Tolman introduced the idea that behavior is influenced by...
1.6K
01:25Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development from Childhood into Adulthood
3.6K
Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development emphasizes the role of thinking in a child's learning process, suggesting that children are naturally curious about their environment. His approach to development is discontinuous, proposing that cognitive abilities progress through distinct stages, each with unique characteristics. Central to Piaget's theory is schemata—mental structures that allow individuals to understand and interpret the world.
Schemata: Building Blocks of Knowledge
Schemata: Building Blocks of Knowledge
3.6K
01:14Piaget's Stage 2 of Cognitive Development
1.3K
The preoperational stage, the second of Jean Piaget's four stages of cognitive development, spans approximately ages 2 to 7 and is characterized by the emergence of symbolic thinking. During this stage, children use language, images, and symbols to represent objects and concepts, enabling them to engage in imaginative and pretend play. This symbolic thinking supports children's ability to perform make-believe actions, such as imagining a broom as a horse or their hand as a phone, blending...
1.3K
01:17Piaget's Stage 3 of Cognitive Development
1.5K
During Piaget's concrete operational stage, from ages 7 to 11, children exhibit a marked increase in logical thinking skills, specifically in relation to tangible, real-world events. This stage is characterized by the development of several essential cognitive concepts, including conservation, reversibility, and classification, all of which support the child's evolving capacity for structured thought.
Conservation and Constancy of Quantity
A significant cognitive milestone in the...
Conservation and Constancy of Quantity
A significant cognitive milestone in the...
1.5K
01:19Piaget's Stage 4 of Cognitive Development
1.1K
The formal operational stage, as described in Piaget's cognitive development theory, begins around age 11 and extends into adulthood. It marks the emergence of advanced cognitive abilities that differentiate adolescent and adult thinking from those of younger children. This stage is characterized by abstract reasoning, hypothetical-deductive reasoning, and a more complex understanding of self and others.
Abstract Reasoning and Hypothetical-Deductive Thinking
Unlike the concrete operational...
Abstract Reasoning and Hypothetical-Deductive Thinking
Unlike the concrete operational...
1.1K