Considering the role of social dynamics and positional behavior in gestural communication research.
Abstract
While the hominin fossil record cannot inform us on either the presence or extent
of social and cognitive abilities that may have paved the way for the emergence of
language, studying non-vocal communication among our closest living relatives, the
African apes, may provide valuable information about how language originated. Although
much has been learned from gestural signaling in non-human primates, we have not yet
established how and why gestural repertoires vary across species, what factors influence
this variation, and how knowledge of these differences can contribute to an understanding
of gestural signaling's contribution to language evolution. In this paper, we review
arguments surrounding the theory that language evolved from gestural signaling and
suggest some important factors to consider when conducting comparative studies of
gestural communication among African apes. Specifically, we propose that social dynamics
and positional behavior are critical components that shape the frequency and nature
of gestural signaling across species and we argue that an understanding of these factors
could shed light on how gestural communication may have been the basis of human language.
We outline predictions for the influence of these factors on the frequencies and types
of gestures used across the African apes and highlight the importance of including
these factors in future gestural communication research with primates.
Type
Journal articleSubject
African apesgesture
language evolution
positional behavior
social dynamics
Animal Communication
Animals
Biological Evolution
Gestures
Hominidae
Social Behavior
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https://hdl.handle.net/10161/10255Published Version (Please cite this version)
10.1002/ajp.22151Publication Info
Smith, Lindsey W; & Delgado, Roberto A (2013). Considering the role of social dynamics and positional behavior in gestural communication
research. Am J Primatol, 75(9). pp. 891-903. 10.1002/ajp.22151. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/10255.This is constructed from limited available data and may be imprecise. To cite this
article, please review & use the official citation provided by the journal.
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Lindsey Warwick Smith
Lecturing Fellow of Thompson Writing Program

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