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Neocortical size and language

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Commentary onOunbarR. I. M. (1993) Coevolution of neocortical size, group size and language in humans. BBS 16:681–735.

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 February 2010

R. I. M. Dunbar
R. I. M. Dunbar
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Liverpool, P.O. Box 147, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK. [email protected]
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Abstract

In my target article, I argued (1) that the relationship between neocortical size and group size in primates implies that there is a cognitive limit on the size of human groups, and (2) that time constraints forced the evolution of language as a more efficient means of bonding the large groups that humans evolved. The doubts about these claims raised by these additional commentaries largely reflect misinterpretation of my original claims.

Type
Author's Response
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 18 , Issue 2 , June 1995 , pp. 388 - 389
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1995

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