Introductory Analysis

Human evolution is a fundamental, intersectional process that helps us understand how we make sense and interact with the world, shaping emergent systems. Using data from the text “Hominids: The First Occupants of the Continents by Eudald Carbonell, which contains 720 rows of information about different hominids, we hope to answer the question of formulating and predicting the combination of cranial capacity and motor function on technology development that can be applied in fields like robotics.

We modeled the 3 levels of motor function (climbing, manipulating, and manipulating with precision) and cranial capacity using logistic regression to evaluate the probability of achieving different modes of technology. We also investigate how this relationship can be modeled linearly, and the certainty of our results.

The gaussian model, assuming that the error throughout the data is normalized, suggests that an increase of 1.2 units in dexterity can lead to an increase in a new mode of technology, with a confidence interval of (1.1-1.2). The indication that there is no connection to cranial capacity may indicate that there may be another factor more significant in determining a need for new technology and the ability to produce it.

The logistic regression model indicates that for a unit increase in motor dexterity, the log odds of being in lower technology modes decrease, while increasing significantly modes 2,3 and 4, yielding log odds of 48, 58 and 60%, with a standard deviation of <0.02.