Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Ontogenesis, semiosis and the epigenetic dynamics of biocultural niche construction

Sinha, Chris LU (2015) In Cognitive Development 36. p.202-209
Abstract
In this article I address the significance of semiotic processes supporting early social interaction, communication and learning in the evolution of the modern human niche of infancy and childhood, known to be extended even in comparison with closely related hominin species. Human infancy and childhood is a biocultural niche, embedded within and causally contributing to the expansion and elaboration of the wider human biocultural complex, including both semiotic and praxic spheres. Epigenetic constructive processes were crucial in the evolution of the niche of ontogenesis, and niche construction through epigenetic augmentation is the key to understanding human symbolic evolution, the advent of human behavioral modernity and the capture of... (More)
In this article I address the significance of semiotic processes supporting early social interaction, communication and learning in the evolution of the modern human niche of infancy and childhood, known to be extended even in comparison with closely related hominin species. Human infancy and childhood is a biocultural niche, embedded within and causally contributing to the expansion and elaboration of the wider human biocultural complex, including both semiotic and praxic spheres. Epigenetic constructive processes were crucial in the evolution of the niche of ontogenesis, and niche construction through epigenetic augmentation is the key to understanding human symbolic evolution, the advent of human behavioral modernity and the capture of evolutionary processes by socio-cultural dynamics. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Biocultural niche construction, Epigenesis, Ontogenesis, Praxis, Semiosphere
in
Cognitive Development
volume
36
pages
202 - 209
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000366877600019
  • scopus:84950983541
ISSN
0885-2014
DOI
10.1016/j.cogdev.2015.09.006
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
e9315874-f7b9-40d0-a955-c87250cdc4b6 (old id 8548698)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 13:52:25
date last changed
2023-11-12 23:15:19
@article{e9315874-f7b9-40d0-a955-c87250cdc4b6,
  abstract     = {{In this article I address the significance of semiotic processes supporting early social interaction, communication and learning in the evolution of the modern human niche of infancy and childhood, known to be extended even in comparison with closely related hominin species. Human infancy and childhood is a biocultural niche, embedded within and causally contributing to the expansion and elaboration of the wider human biocultural complex, including both semiotic and praxic spheres. Epigenetic constructive processes were crucial in the evolution of the niche of ontogenesis, and niche construction through epigenetic augmentation is the key to understanding human symbolic evolution, the advent of human behavioral modernity and the capture of evolutionary processes by socio-cultural dynamics. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.}},
  author       = {{Sinha, Chris}},
  issn         = {{0885-2014}},
  keywords     = {{Biocultural niche construction; Epigenesis; Ontogenesis; Praxis; Semiosphere}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{202--209}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Cognitive Development}},
  title        = {{Ontogenesis, semiosis and the epigenetic dynamics of biocultural niche construction}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cogdev.2015.09.006}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.cogdev.2015.09.006}},
  volume       = {{36}},
  year         = {{2015}},
}