Human communication is a complex integration of vocal and visual signals. The origins of this capacity are unclear, as there is no fossil evidence to indicate how early humans communicated. Research on chimpanzees suggests that traits shared with modern humans may date back millions of years. Young chimps primarily learn communication skills from their mothers and maternal relatives, mirroring human learning from caregivers. Observations in Kibale National Park reveal that chimpanzees form subgroups that typically include maternal relationships, highlighting the social structure underlying their communication.
"People use vocal and visual communication in a very rich and combined way," says Joseph Mine, a biologist at the University of Rennes in France. The origin of this communication is not documented in the fossil record as there are no gestures in amber or syllables on prehistoric rock.
"How did humans or hominins communicate hundreds of thousands of years ago, or even millions of years ago?" Mine is exploring how communication traits in modern humans may trace back to common ancestors shared with chimpanzees.
According to a study, young chimps learn vocal and visual communication patterns primarily from their mothers, showing similarities to how young humans learn from primary caretakers.
Mine conducted fieldwork with the Kanyawara community in Kibale National Park, documenting the social behavior of chimpanzees as they interact and form subgroups, often involving maternal relationships.
Collection
[
|
...
]