Evolution of communicative flexibility : complexity, creativity, and adaptability in human and animal communication / / edited by D Kimbrough Oller and Ulrike Griebel

• Record Nr.: UNINA9910782115303321
• Pubbl/distr/stampa: Cambridge, Mass., : MIT Press, ©2008
• ISBN: 0-262-30991-2; 0-262-28102-3; 1-4356-7721-8
• Descrizione fisica: 1 online resource (367 p.)
• Collana: The Vienna series in theoretical biology
• Altri autori (Persone): OllerD. Kimbrough; GriebelUlrike
• Disciplina: 302.2
• Soggetti: Communication; Animal communication; Language and languages - Origin; Human evolution
• Lingua di pubblicazione: Inglese
• Formato: Materiale a stampa
• Livello bibliografico: Monografia
• Note generali: Description based upon print version of record.
• Nota di bibliografia: Includes bibliographical references and index.
• Nota di contenuto: Contents; Series Foreword; Preface; Reference; I INTRODUCTION; 1 Signal and Functional Flexibility in the Emergence of Communication Systems: The Editors' Introduction; II CROSS-SPECIES PERSPECTIVES ON FORCES AND PATTERNS OF FLEXIBILITY IN COMMUNICATION; 2 Evolutionary Forces Favoring Communicative Flexibility; 3 Vocal Learning in Mammals with Special Emphasis on Pinnipeds; 4 Contextually Flexible Communication in Nonhuman Primates; 5 Constraints in Primate Vocal Production; 6 Contextual Sensitivity and Bird Song: A Basis for Social Life; III THE ROLE OF FLEXIBILITY AND COMMUNICATIVE COMPLEXITY IN THE EVOLUTION OF LANGUAGE7 Contextual Flexibility in Infant Vocal Development and the Earliest Stepsin the Evolution of Language; 8 Scaffolds for Babbling: Innateness and Learning in the Emergence of Contexually Flexible Vocal Production in Human Infants; 9 Cognitive Precursors to Language; 10 Language and Niche Construction; IV UNDERPINNINGS OF COMMUNICATIVE CONTROL: FOUNDATIONS FOR ; FLEXIBLE COMMUNICATION; 11 How Apes Use Gestures: The Issue of Flexibility; 12 The Role of Play in the Evolution and Ontogeny of Contextually Flexible CommunicationV MODELING OF THE EMERGENCE OF COMPLEXITY AND FLEXIBILITY IN COMMUNICATION; 13 Detection and Estimation of Complexity and Contextual Flexibility in Nonhuman Animal Communication; 14 The Evolution of Flexibility in Bird Song; 15 Development and Evolution of Speech Sound Categories: Principles and Models; Contributors; Index
• Sommario/riassunto: Experts investigate communicative flexibility (in both form and usage of signals) as the foundation of the evolution of complex communication systems, including human language.