Social and emotional cognition in Pleistocene hominin evolution: The role of biocultural processes

Fuentes, Agustín ORCID: 0000-0003-0955-8214, French, Jennifer C ORCID: 0000-0001-5947-6669, Hawks, John ORCID: 0000-0003-3187-3755, Kissel, Marc ORCID: 0000-0002-4004-1996 and Spikins, Penny ORCID: 0000-0002-9174-5168 (2026) Social and emotional cognition in Pleistocene hominin evolution: The role of biocultural processes Journal of Archaeological Science, 185. p. 106441. ISSN 0305-4403, 1095-9238

Access the full-text of this item by clicking on the Open Access link.

Abstract

Patterns and processes of social cognition underlie much of the behavioral and ecological flexibility and adaptive capacity that characterizes the primate order. The hominin lineage emerged from a branch of primates, hominoids, particularly reliant on the navigation of complex intra and inter-group social relations as a central dynamic of their niche. Over the past few decades much research on hominin evolution has resituated focus from explaining the uniqueness of the big-brain, hyper-social, cognitively distinct Homo sapiens, to a broader inquiry into the potential process, pathways, and dynamics of the evolution of a hominin niche, or niches, rooted in increasingly complex social cognition. In this essay we review key aspects of this current paradigm and argue for the expanded inclusion of the possibilities of socio-emotional cognition in a biocultural approach as advantageous in developing a more robust descriptive framework for theory and method in the study of human evolution. We combine several sources and examples to highlight specific theoretical approaches to assist in developing a common and more integrative framework for investigating social and emotional cognition as a key component of the biocultural niche in Pleistocene hominins.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	4301 Archaeology, 43 History, Heritage and Archaeology, Basic Behavioral and Social Science, Behavioral and Social Science
Divisions:	Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences > School of Histories, Languages and Cultures Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences > School of Histories, Languages and Cultures > Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	02 Dec 2025 16:49
Last Modified:	13 Jan 2026 14:22
DOI:	10.1016/j.jas.2025.106441
Open Access URL:	https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/...
Related Websites:	Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3195773
Disclaimer:	The University of Liverpool is not responsible for content contained on other websites from links within repository metadata. Please contact us if you notice anything that appears incorrect or inappropriate.