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How the language capacity was naturally selected: Altriciality and long immaturity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 August 2006

D. Kimbrough Oller and
Ulrike Griebel
D. Kimbrough Oller*
Affiliation:
School of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38105 http://www.ausp.memphis.edu/people/kimoller.html
Ulrike Griebel*
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152
*
koller@memphis.edu
ulrikegriebel@wnm.net
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Abstract:

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Critical factors that appear to encourage vocal development in humans are altriciality and long immaturity. Hominid infants appear to have evolved a specific tendency to use elaborate vocalization as a means of soliciting long-term investment from caregivers. The development of such vocal capacity provides necessary infrastructure for language development across human life history.

Information

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 29 , Issue 3 , June 2006, pp. 293 - 294
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2006