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Cited by 1,068Primate Behavior and EcologyLanguage and cultural evolutionEvolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 67 of the 68 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

The Social Brain: Mind, Language, and Society in Evolutionary Perspective

Dunbar, R.I.M.·2003·Annual Review of Anthropology
DOI 10.1146/annurev.anthro.32.061002.093158
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Abstract

▪ Abstract The social brain (or Machiavellian Intelligence) hypothesis was proposed to explain primates' unusually large brains: It argues that the cognitive demands of living in complexly bonded social groups selected for increases in executive brain (principally neocortex). The evidence for this and alternative hypotheses is reviewed. Although there remain difficulties of interpretation, the bulk of the evidence comes down in favor of the social brain hypothesis. The extent to which the cognitive demands of bonding large intensely social groups involve aspects of social cognition, such as theory of mind, is explored. These findings are then related to the evolution of social group size, language, and culture within the hominid lineage.

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Crossref · 10.1146/annurev.anthro.32.061002.093158

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Show all 68 references

Research works printed but not linked: 7

  1. Byrne RW. 1996. Relating brain size to intelligence in primates. In Modelling the Early Hominid Mind , ed. P Mellars, K Gibson, pp. 1–8. Cambridge, UK: Macdonald Inst. Archaeol. Res.
  2. Dunbar RIM. 1989. Reproductive strategies of female gelada baboons. In Sociobiology of Sexual and Reproductive Strategies , ed. A Rasa, C Vogel, E Voland, pp. 74–92. London: Chapman & Hall
  3. Dunbar RIM. 1998b. Theory of mind and the evolution of language. In Approaches to the Evolution of Language , ed. J Hurford, M Studdart-Kennedy, C Knight, pp. 92–110. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge Univ. Press
  4. Dunbar RIM. 2003. Why are apes so smart? In Primate Life Histories , ed. P Kappeler, M Peirera. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. In press
  5. 10.1037//0033-295X.94.1.84 · DOI
  6. Silk JB, 2003, Anim. Behav.
  7. Tomasello M, 1998, Primate Cognition.

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Metadata

Authors
Dunbar, R. I. M.
Affiliations
University of Liverpool (GB)
Corresponding author
Dunbar, R.I.M.
ORCID
Dunbar, R.I.M.
Venue
Annual Review of Anthropology
Publisher
Annual Reviews
Published
2003-10
Volume
32
Issue
1
Pages
163-181
ISSN
  • 0084-6570 (ISSN-L)
  • 1545-4290
DOI
10.1146/annurev.anthro.32.061002.093158
OpenAlex
W2130307024
Cited by
1,068
References
68
Citations by year
2026: 27 · 2025: 43 · 2024: 32 · 2023: 39 · 2022: 78 · 2021: 97 · 2020: 62 · 2019: 68 · 2018: 40 · 2017: 59 · 2016: 64 · 2015: 61 · 2014: 51 · 2013: 40 · 2012: 58
FWCI
2.48
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Annual Review of Anthropology (publishedVersion)
  • Oxford University Research Archive (ORA) (University of Oxford) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Primate Behavior and Ecology
  • Social Sciences › Cultural Studies › Language and cultural evolution
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior
Keywords
social brain hypothesis, Machiavellian intelligence, primate brain evolution, neocortex, social cognition, theory of mind, social group size, language evolution, cultural evolution, hominid evolution, social bonding

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