Demonstration and pantomime in the evolution of teaching
Date
2017
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Frontiers Media
Abstract
Donald proposes that early Homo evolved mimesis as a new form of cognition. This article investigates the mimesis hypothesis in relation to the evolution of teaching. The fundamental capacities that distinguish hominin teaching from that of other animals are demonstration and pantomime. A conceptual analysis of the instructional and communicative functions of demonstration and pantomime is presented. Archaeological evidence that demonstration was used for transmitting the Oldowan technology is summarized. It is argued that pantomime develops out of demonstration so that the primary objective of pantomime is that the onlooker learns the motoric patterns shown in the pantomime. The communicative use of pantomime is judged to be secondary. This use of pantomime is also contrasted with other forms of gestures. A key feature of the analysis is that the meaning of a pantomime is characterized by the force patterns of the movements. These force patterns form the core of a model of the cognitive mechanism behind pantomime. Finally, the role of pantomime in the evolution of language is also discussed.
Description
CITATION: Gardenfors, P. 2017. Demonstration and pantomime in the evolution of teaching. Frontiers in Psychology, 8:415, doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00415.
The original publication is available at https://www.frontiersin.org
The original publication is available at https://www.frontiersin.org
Keywords
Teaching, Pantomime, Gesture, Mimesis in literature, English language--Mimetic words
Citation
Gardenfors, P. 2017. Demonstration and pantomime in the evolution of teaching. Frontiers in Psychology, 8:415, doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00415