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Social Learning and Innovation in Contemporary Hunter-Gatherers pp 285–291Cite as

Body Growth and Life History of Modern Humans and Neanderthals from the Perspective of Human Evolution

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Part of the book series: Replacement of Neanderthals by Modern Humans Series ((RNMH))

Abstract

Human life history is comprised of five stages of development: infancy, early and middle childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Each stage is associated with particular rates of physical growth (e.g., height [cm/year]), characteristics of dentition, changes related to methods of feeding, physical and mental competencies, and maturation of the reproductive system and sexual behavior. An extended period from juvenility through adolescence that separates infancy from adulthood is unique to humans; the life histories of other mammals, including other primates, have a comparatively brief transition into physical and cognitive maturity. Extended adolescence in humans is argued to have evolved to accommodate our greater brain growth, which together affords the ability to acquire the accumulated cultural knowledge and social skills necessary for success as a mature adult. In this article, I propose that there may have been key differences in the life history characteristics of Neanderthals and H. sapiens, with Neanderthals experiencing comparatively short juvenile and adolescent stages of development. Neanderthals would consequently have been at a disadvantage in terms of their learning capacity, contributing to their eventual replacement by H. sapiens.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Human Ecology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan

    Taro Yamauchi

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  1. Taro Yamauchi
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Correspondence to Taro Yamauchi .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, Kobe Gakuin University, Kobe, Japan

    Hideaki Terashima

  2. Department of Anthropology, Washington State University, Vancouver, WA, USA

    Barry S. Hewlett

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Yamauchi, T. (2016). Body Growth and Life History of Modern Humans and Neanderthals from the Perspective of Human Evolution. In: Terashima, H., Hewlett, B.S. (eds) Social Learning and Innovation in Contemporary Hunter-Gatherers. Replacement of Neanderthals by Modern Humans Series. Springer, Tokyo. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-55997-9_24

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-55997-9_24

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Tokyo

  • Print ISBN: 978-4-431-55995-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-4-431-55997-9

  • eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)

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