ANT E101 Chapter Notes - Chapter 7: Dog Bites Man, Visual Cortex, Language Processing In The Brain
Alexander Stanley
Ant E 101
Introduction to Anthropology
Spring 2020
Human Specialization: Prefrontal
● Prefrontal Cortex: Involved in decision making, planning, working memory, and
emotional regulation
○ Expanded in apes in comparison with other primates. Humans show a further
expansion of this area compared to apes
○ More complex neurons in humans (longer and more branched dendrites)
Human Specialization: Visual Cortex
● The human visual cortex is reduced compared to chimpanzees
○ Related to expansion of the parietal association cortex, important in spatial sense,
integrating visual information with information about body position > tool use
Characteristics of Human Language?
● Voluntary and socially learned
● Semantic
○ Arbitrary symbols (words) convey meaning
● Syntax
○ Dog bites man vs man bites dog
● Recursive
○ Phrases within phrases (within phrases)
■ Hierarchical structure
● Displacement
○ Ability to speak of things/events that are not present
Language-Like Abilities of Other Primates
● There is evidence that primate vocal communication can be produced voluntarily, can be
learned, and that calls communicate symbolic information
● But they have a limited mastery of syntax and ability to communicate about things
outside their immediate experience
Language
● Language processing areas in the human brain
○ Broca’s Area: Important for speech production
○ Wernicke’s Area: Important for speech comprehension
○ Arcuate Fasciculus: White-matter fiber tract that links frontal and temporal
language areas
■ Much more developed in humans than in chimpanzees and macaque
monkeys
When did language capacity evolve?
Document Summary
Prefrontal cortex: involved in decision making, planning, working memory, and emotional regulation. Expanded in apes in comparison with other primates. Humans show a further expansion of this area compared to apes. More complex neurons in humans (longer and more branched dendrites) The human visual cortex is reduced compared to chimpanzees. Related to expansion of the parietal association cortex, important in spatial sense, integrating visual information with information about body position > tool use. Dog bites man vs man bites dog. Ability to speak of things/events that are not present. There is evidence that primate vocal communication can be produced voluntarily, can be learned, and that calls communicate symbolic information. But they have a limited mastery of syntax and ability to communicate about things outside their immediate experience. Language processing areas in the human brain. Arcuate fasciculus: white-matter fiber tract that links frontal and temporal language areas. Much more developed in humans than in chimpanzees and macaque.
