Final answer:
Key behavioral features of early hominids include bipedalism, tool use, and the beginnings of language. These behaviors reflect evolutionary adaptations to environmental pressures and are manifested in physical and archaeological evidence, contributing to our knowledge of human evolution.
Step-by-step explanation:
Some key behavioral features likely to be found in early hominids include the adaptation to bipedalism, the use of tools, and the emergent capacity for language. These behaviors are indicative of how environmental pressures guided their evolutionary adaptations. The transition to walking on two feet freed hands for carrying tools and offspring, which in turn may have affected the development of complex social behaviors and eventually language. The anatomical reorganization required for bipedalism suggests benefits like energy efficiency or improved thermoregulation, which shaped our ancestors' survivability. Understanding such behaviors in early hominids contributes to our knowledge of human evolution by highlighting the adaptive strategies that our ancestors deployed in response to their changing environments. Fossil records, like those of Australopithecus, Homo habilis, and Homo erectus, present evidence of these adaptations. Toolmaking and language capabilities are evident through archaeological findings such as crafted artifacts and indications of social complexity, which suggest gradual increases in brain size and cognitive abilities within the genus Homo. The emergence of language is particularly significant as it implies a biological and cognitive capacity for complex communication, a cornerstone of human society. Although direct evidence of language emergence is elusive due to its intangible nature, biological features such as increased brain size and evidence of social behavior offer indirect clues to its development.