Question

Relative Skull Size in Humans vs. NHAs

Option 1: Skull size is consistent across all human populations.
Option 2: Skull size is influenced by environmental factors.
Option 3: Skull size is determined by musical preferences.
Option 4: Skull size varies with political beliefs.

Answer 1

Skull size in humans can vary across populations and is influenced by environmental factors. Neanderthals had larger skulls compared to modern humans, but brain size does not determine intelligence.

Step-by-step explanation:

The size of the skull in humans can vary across different populations. It is not consistent across all human populations (Option 1) but is influenced by various environmental factors (Option 2). This can be seen in differences between Neanderthals and modern humans, where Neanderthals have larger skulls (average size of 1,520 cc) compared to modern humans (average size of 1200-1400 cc) (Figure 5.21). However, the larger brain size in Neanderthals does not necessarily mean they were more intelligent than modern humans, as brain organization and development can differ between hominin species (Figure 23.5.5).