human gesture traits
Description: You will write an APA-style review paper, minimum 5 pages in length (for the main text). In this paper, you will select a human trait to analyze within a comparative framework. Specifically, once you select a trait, you will
(i) review any extant literature on the topic in humans, along with evidence from other species that might inform your analysis; and
(ii) (ii) formulate a paper that either presents an overview of different hypotheses pertaining to the origins of the trait in humans, or (b) puts forth a novel comparative hypothesis about the evolutionary origins of the trait in humans.
Half and half or four pages for part one and two pages for part two.
There is considerable latitude in your selection of topic, as well as your chosen mode of analysis. Thus, generally applicable guidelines are difficult to derive. For example, some might choose a trait that is truly unique to modern humans; others might choose a trait that shows clear evidence of homology in relation to Great Apes; and others still might choose a trait we did not share with other apes, but for which there is evidence for convergent evolution in other taxa. Different considerations would apply to all, depending on the extent of prior theory and research, etc..
What is the trait for? How did the behavior in question impact reproductive outcomes among members of the species ancestors? In other words, what selection pressures caused it to evolve and acquire its specific design features?
APA format
Title page
Abstract (only need half page or less, don’t write more than half a page)
Body pages (5.5 pages)
References
