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<p>The remarkably durable construct of “modern human behavior” (MHB) is used by paleoanthropologists to summarize the features of behavior and underlying cognitive capacities that distinguish Late Pleistocene <i>Homo sapiens</i> from all other hominins. Some or all of these “modern” behaviors are assumed to have underpinned the ultimate demographic success of <i>Homo sapiens</i>. We argue that the common search for signs of modernity in the Paleolithic has inadvertently narrowed the field’s scope of inquiry. Treating MHB as the sole measure of humanness blinds us to potentially unique evolutionary trajectories followed by other hominins. In so doing, many uses of the MHB concept even compromise our attempts to understand the evolution of <i>Homo sapiens</i>. We offer some programmatic suggestions for investigating “non-analog” forms of behavior among hominins. We focus on the example of Middle Paleolithic Neanderthals, the hominin that paleoanthropologists know the most about other than ourselves, with an eye to the historical influences of regional biodiversity and small population sizes.</p>

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Blinded by the Light (of Modernity): Does the Concept of Modern Human Behavior Obscure Diversity in Hominin Cultural Evolution?

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年11月28日

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  • Steven L. Kuhn,
  • Mary C. Stiner

摘要

The remarkably durable construct of “modern human behavior” (MHB) is used by paleoanthropologists to summarize the features of behavior and underlying cognitive capacities that distinguish Late Pleistocene Homo sapiens from all other hominins. Some or all of these “modern” behaviors are assumed to have underpinned the ultimate demographic success of Homo sapiens. We argue that the common search for signs of modernity in the Paleolithic has inadvertently narrowed the field’s scope of inquiry. Treating MHB as the sole measure of humanness blinds us to potentially unique evolutionary trajectories followed by other hominins. In so doing, many uses of the MHB concept even compromise our attempts to understand the evolution of Homo sapiens. We offer some programmatic suggestions for investigating “non-analog” forms of behavior among hominins. We focus on the example of Middle Paleolithic Neanderthals, the hominin that paleoanthropologists know the most about other than ourselves, with an eye to the historical influences of regional biodiversity and small population sizes.