Evolution of hominin intelligence

This article is currently being developed as part of an Eduzendium student project. If you are not involved with this project, please refrain from collaboratively developing it until this notice is removed. Articles that lack this notice, including many Eduzendium ones, welcome your collaboration!

Intelligence

Intelligence also means to understand. However, there are several ways to define intelligence. Intelligence may include traits such as reasoning, planning and problem solving. Along with creativity, personality, knowledge and wisdom.

Development of the Brain

Up until approximately 5 million years ago and the beginning of the Pliocene era where we begin to notice the development of the hominid brain (Citation needed) before this time period, the hominoid brain was no larger then the brain of other mammals of similar size. However, a larger skull created a problem for the female hominids because it required the female to have a larger birth canal. A larger and wider pelvis would lose her ability to use the other motor skills, such as running (Citation Needed) that was used for survival

Human intelligence can be measure by the size of the brain. It is believed that the size of the brain determines the intelligence of the individual.

Pleistocene (1.8 million years ago)

Australopithecus are related to hominid but during this era, Hominid brain size increased, which suggest the increase of intelligence. Approximately 2million years ago, Homo Habilis showed characteristic of modern hominid. Evidence of Stone tool, such as stone and teeth and claws from other animals was used which gave evidence that hominid diet increased from herbivore to carnivore. Understanding to use of stone tool allow Homo Habilis to cut hid and cut meat, thus increases their understanding to adapt to their environment.

Stone tool The use of stone tools required larger brain mass to completed such skill to survive.