This is an educational blog for a Social Psychology class at Penn State University, Fayette. The purpose is to provide a forum for all students to express views and insight on a variety of topics covered in class and textbook.
922121514 - I believe that having a vision centered brain contributed to the doom of the Neanderthals, but there is a host of reasons as to why they became extinct (disease, competition, climate, etc.). In my words a social brain is one centered around the individual’s connection to the others in a given social group. The social brain places importance on communication, verbal and non-verbal, between oneself and others.
976673690 Some of the article is believable and other parts are not. I believe that their brains would be “wired” differently than the average American who has contact with many people in one day. It would be different because they do not communicate that often. The lighting is dim and it’s a completely different environment. It reminds me of when someone is kidnapped and not in sunlight for months or years and has very little contact with the world. It usually takes a toll on their brain, and it changes how they interact with others after that experience. I do not believe this is why they died and became extinct. If they were different, I think their body would have adapted and evolved to help them survive in the new environment. I suppose a social brain is the brain of an average human who has contact with many other people on a day to day basis and who are somehow involved in society and social groups. Also, a social brain would use social thinking and cultural transmission skills to keep the frontal lobe active.
I hope some time you end up taking Evolutionary Psych. If environmental changes occur faster than a species can evolve, then it will go extinct. Nice job on the rest!
916105999: I believe that this could be true, if the Neanderthals really did have a "vision centered brain" then that would explain why they became extinct. The Social Brain theory says that the human brain evolved in order to find better food, outsmart predators, find better shelter and to be able to cover larger territories (more complex mental maps). Their larger brains were linked to complex social systems. Their brains were designed to relate to one another. This led to social interaction which led to reproduction and survival. The social brain is essential for survival based on social connections and reactions and the Neanderthals did not have that. This led to their extinction.
no no, you got it wrong. The social brain is linked to complex social systems, and WE are the ones who had it, not the neanderthals! The social brain does NOT say it evolved to find better food or outsmart predators. Not at all. You lifted all that off the slide and didn't realize that the slide referenced what was initially believed about why we humans evolved larger brains.
Don't forget to START with your student ID# first! Did you remember to check your spelling and grammar? Lastly, don't submit two comments for the same post, I will only count one. Really lastly, make sure you answer all the questions in the post!
922121514 - I believe that having a vision centered brain contributed to the doom of the Neanderthals, but there is a host of reasons as to why they became extinct (disease, competition, climate, etc.). In my words a social brain is one centered around the individual’s connection to the others in a given social group. The social brain places importance on communication, verbal and non-verbal, between oneself and others.
ReplyDelete976673690
ReplyDeleteSome of the article is believable and other parts are not. I believe that their brains would be “wired” differently than the average American who has contact with many people in one day. It would be different because they do not communicate that often. The lighting is dim and it’s a completely different environment. It reminds me of when someone is kidnapped and not in sunlight for months or years and has very little contact with the world. It usually takes a toll on their brain, and it changes how they interact with others after that experience. I do not believe this is why they died and became extinct. If they were different, I think their body would have adapted and evolved to help them survive in the new environment. I suppose a social brain is the brain of an average human who has contact with many other people on a day to day basis and who are somehow involved in society and social groups. Also, a social brain would use social thinking and cultural transmission skills to keep the frontal lobe active.
I hope some time you end up taking Evolutionary Psych. If environmental changes occur faster than a species can evolve, then it will go extinct. Nice job on the rest!
Delete916105999: I believe that this could be true, if the Neanderthals really did have a "vision centered brain" then that would explain why they became extinct. The Social Brain theory says that the human brain evolved in order to find better food, outsmart predators, find better shelter and to be able to cover larger territories (more complex mental maps). Their larger brains were linked to complex social systems. Their brains were designed to relate to one another. This led to social interaction which led to reproduction and survival. The social brain is essential for survival based on social connections and reactions and the Neanderthals did not have that. This led to their extinction.
ReplyDeleteno no, you got it wrong. The social brain is linked to complex social systems, and WE are the ones who had it, not the neanderthals! The social brain does NOT say it evolved to find better food or outsmart predators. Not at all. You lifted all that off the slide and didn't realize that the slide referenced what was initially believed about why we humans evolved larger brains.
Delete