Audio Transcript Excerpt:
PROFESSOR: 'In evolutionary psychology and anthropology, Robin Dunbar proposed the 'social brain hypothesis' to explain why

Question

Audio Transcript Excerpt:
PROFESSOR: 'In evolutionary psychology and anthropology, Robin Dunbar proposed the 'social brain hypothesis' to explain why primates have disproportionately large neocortex volumes compared to all other mammals. Rather than neocortex expansion being driven by foraging difficulty or ecological spatial mapping—such as remembering where fruit trees bloom—Dunbar demonstrated a tight positive correlation between relative neocortex volume and average social group size across primate species. Navigating complex social hierarchies, forming coalitions, detecting deceptive deception, and remembering reciprocal social obligations require immense computational processing power.'

What relationship does the professor establish between primate neocortex size and group social structure?

Accepted Answer

Larger neocortex ratios evolved primarily to handle the cognitive computational demands of maintaining complex social relationships in larger groups.

Answer

Primates in large groups evolved smaller neocortices because group living reduces individual cognitive burdens.

Answer

Neocortex expansion occurred solely to enable primates to locate scarce seasonal fruit orchards.

Answer

Primate social group size is determined entirely by body weight rather than brain volume.

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Practice More TOEFL iBT Connecting Content Questions

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