Final answer:
In hunter-gatherer societies, occupational specialization was largely based on age and gender, with fewer fixed roles and more flexible task-sharing compared to later agricultural societies.
Step-by-step explanation:
In hunter-gatherer societies, occupational specialization was minimal compared to more structured agricultural societies. Key divisions of labor were generally based on age and gender, with women commonly engaged in gathering while men typically focused on hunting. Special skills or leadership roles, when they did occur, would often stem from personal prowess or presence rather than formal training or inherited status. The small, mobile nature of hunter-gatherer groups and the reliance on shared natural resources meant that tasks were less specialized and frequently communal, diverging significantly from later agricultural communities where wealth and the capacity to generate a surplus led to increased social stratification and specialization.