Bipedalism Analysis

An Analysis of Select Bipedalism Hypotheses

Bipedalism is a unique attribute of hominids and is pivotal in human evolution. There exist several Hypotheses of Bipedalism. Four hypotheses that are explored are Locomotion Efficiency (Long Distance Travel), Thermoregulation (Cooling), Freeing the Hands, and Visual Surveillance. A summary of each hypotheses’ main points and applied relevancy of each, postulating the locomotion theory as the best of the four hypothesizes.
I. Locomotors Efficiency (Long Distance Travel)
This theory posits that bipedalism occurred because of more efficient travel and multi-tasking. Analysis: It encompasses about all the below theories. Freeing of hands to tend babies, gather food and increased travel between clusters

Freeing the Hands This theorizes that humans began walking on two feet instead of four in order to free their hands to do other tasks while moving across the world. There are several models on this origin, suggesting from food foraging and infant carrying, to stone tools and weapons. Owen Lovejoy, points out “…that if males contributed to the survival of their mates and their offspring, then their own genes would survive into the next generation. Bipedalism would have allowed males to provide their mates and offspring with high-quality food as well as to help protect them from any looming dangers. This explanation makes biological and behavioral sense. .”(Lovejoy 1981) Analysis: Freeing of hands for carrying, food gathering, changes in climate and habitat is viable. Socialization and culture is imperative to survival of the species. The stone tools theory is unlikely as bipedalism predates the use of tools. The discovery of “Lucy” prevents it from being a driving force of evolution. (Larson. 2013) Cultural evolution is extremely important. Provisioning is central to survival. Scholar tends to agree with this theory next to locomotion.
IV. Visual

Another part of the compromise was behavioral. The loss of a grasping foot is also a serious problem for child-rearing. In chimpanzees and other primates, the young can use their hands and feet to grasp and cling to their mother's fur. For hominid infants, such clinging would have been much more difficult, if not entirely impossible. One of the adaptations to bipedalism must, then, have been a behavioral change toward carrying dependent offspring until they were old enough to walk. (Larsen,