Dorothy Fragaszy's guest appearances

Dorothy Fragaszy

Convergent Science Network Podcast

Evolution (Video)

Women in Science (Video)

Evolution (Audio)

CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny (Audio)

CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny (Video)

Women in Science (Audio)

Center for Mind, Brain, and Culture

Michael Arbib

Mark Moffett

Barry Hewlett

Elizabeth Spelke

Melvin Konner

James Rilling

Susan Perry

Danielle Stolzenberg

Homo Naledi

Tecumseh Fitch

Joseph Henrich

Todd Preuss

Terry Deacon

Anna Di Rienzo

Christopher Boehm

OwlTail

Although using tools is a central feature of human biology, the lack of biologically-grounded theory in this domain limits our ability to study the phenomenon to relate it to human evolution. To begin to fill this gap, I present a theory of tooling applicable to individuals of all species. The theory draws on (a) ecological (perception–action) theory in psychology, that links an animal’s behavior to its perception of affordances, (b) psychological theories about how animals perceive space and move themselves in space, and (c) the biomechanical approach to the study of body movement and the development of coordination of movement.  Tooling theory supports testable hypotheses concerning a) the forms of tooling present in diverse taxa with varying perceptual and motor systems and bodies, b) the effects of specific environmental, individual, and task features on a specific performance, and c) the development of tooling. The determination that an action is or is not tooling has no bearing on a judgment about the intellect of the tooler. Instead, a classification of an action as tooling determines the analytical strategy one can take to examine the action. I apply the theory to wild bearded capuchin monkeys cracking nuts with stone hammers and anvils. 

<p>Although using tools is a central feature of human biology, the lack of biologically-grounded theory in this domain limits our ability to study the phenomenon to relate it to human evolution. To begin to fill this gap, I present a theory of tooling applicable to individuals of all species. The theory draws on (a) ecological (perception–action) theory in psychology, that links an animal’s behavior to its perception of affordances, (b) psychological theories about how animals perceive space and move themselves in space, and (c) the biomechanical approach to the study of body movement and the development of coordination of movement.  Tooling theory supports testable hypotheses concerning a) the forms of tooling present in diverse taxa with varying perceptual and motor systems and bodies, b) the effects of specific environmental, individual, and task features on a specific performance, and c) the development of tooling. The determination that an action is or is not tooling has no bearing on a judgment about the intellect of the tooler. Instead, a classification of an action as tooling determines the analytical strategy one can take to examine the action. I apply the theory to wild bearded capuchin monkeys cracking nuts with stone hammers and anvils. </p>

Mini-Conference (1 of 3) | Dorothy Fragaszy | A Biological Theory of Tooling

Dorothy Fragaszy (Primate Behavior Laboratory, University of Georgia) discusses her work on tool use in non-human primates. Interviewed by Paul Verschure and Tony Prescott.

Interview Dorothy Fragaszy