Operationalizing niche construction theory with stone tools.
Evol Anthropol
; 30(1): 28-39, 2021 Jan.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-33475216
ABSTRACT
One of the greatest difficulties with evolutionary approaches in the study of stone tools (lithics) has been finding a mechanism for tying culture and biology in a way that preserves human agency and operates at scales that are visible in the archaeological record. The concept of niche construction, whereby organisms actively construct their environments and change the conditions for selection, could provide a solution to this problem. In this review, we evaluate the utility of niche construction theory (NCT) for stone tool archaeology. We apply NCT to lithics both as part of the "extended phenotype" and as residuals or precipitates of other niche-constructing activities, suggesting ways in which archaeologists can employ niche construction feedbacks to generate testable hypotheses about stone tool use. Finally, we conclude that, as far as its applicability to lithic archaeology, NCT compares favorably to other prominent evolutionary approaches, such as human behavioral ecology and dual-inheritance theory.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Bases de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Ecosistema
/
Evolución Cultural
/
Evolución Biológica
/
Comportamiento del Uso de la Herramienta
Límite:
Animals
/
Humans
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Evol Anthropol
Año:
2021
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Estados Unidos