From Experiential-Based to Relational-Based Forms of Social Organization: A Major Transition in the Evolution of Homo Sapiens

"Social Brain, Distributed Mind", edited by R. Dunbar, C. Gamble & J. Gowlett. Oxford University Press: London (pages 203-234), 2009

32 Pages Posted: 30 Jun 2015

See all articles by Dwight Read

Dwight Read

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) - Department of Anthropology

Date Written: July 27, 2009

Abstract

The evolutionary trajectory from non-human to human forms of social organization involves change from experiential to relational-based systems of social interaction. Social organization derived from biologically and experientially grounded social interaction reached a hiatus with the great apes due to expansion of the individualization of behavior. The hiatus ended with the introduction of relational-based social interaction that culminated in social organization based on cultural kinship. This evolutionary trajectory links biological origins to cultural outcomes and makes evident the centrality of distributed forms of information for both the boundary and internal structure of human societies as these evolved from prior forms of social organization.

Keywords: human evolution, cultural evolution, social systems

Suggested Citation

Read, Dwight, From Experiential-Based to Relational-Based Forms of Social Organization: A Major Transition in the Evolution of Homo Sapiens (July 27, 2009). "Social Brain, Distributed Mind", edited by R. Dunbar, C. Gamble & J. Gowlett. Oxford University Press: London (pages 203-234), 2009, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2624166

Dwight Read (Contact Author)

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) - Department of Anthropology ( email )

Los Angeles, CA 90095-1553
United States

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