Journal article
From evolutionarily conserved frontal regions for sequence processing to human innovations for syntax
Interaction studies, Vol.19(1-2), pp.318-335
09/2018
DOI: 10.1075/is.17038.wil
Abstract
Empirical advances have been made in understanding how human language, in its combinatorial complexity and unbounded expressivity, may have evolved from the communication systems present in our evolutionary ancestors. However, a number of cognitive processes and neurobiological mechanisms that support language may not have evolved specifically for communication, but rather from abilities that support perception and cognition more generally. We review recent evidence from comparative behavioural and neurobiological studies on structured sequence learning in human and nonhuman primates. These studies support the notion that certain sequence learning abilities are evolutionarily conserved and engage corresponding inferior frontal brain regions across the species, regions also involved in processing language in humans. Alongside the cross-species similarities is evidence for human specialisations, illuminating the likely evolutionary pathways towards language in modern humans. We argue that cognitive abilities that were in place for animals to learn combinatorial relationships in the sensory world were available and co-opted for language in humans.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- From evolutionarily conserved frontal regions for sequence processing to human innovations for syntax
- Creators
- Benjamin Wilson - Newcastle UniversityChristopher I Petkov - Newcastle University
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Interaction studies, Vol.19(1-2), pp.318-335
- Publisher
- John Benjamins Publishing Co
- DOI
- 10.1075/is.17038.wil
- ISSN
- 1572-0373
- eISSN
- 1572-0381
- Number of pages
- 18
- Grant note
- European Research Council Consolidator Award; European Research Council (ERC) WT110198/Z/15/Z / Wellcome Trust: a Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellowship WT102961MA / Wellcome Trust Investigator Award; Wellcome Trust BCS-1343544 / NSF; National Science Foundation (NSF) BB/J009849/1 / BBSRC; UK Research & Innovation (UKRI); Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 09/2018
- Academic Unit
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Neurosurgery; Otolaryngology
- Record Identifier
- 9984360452002771
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