Human face as a biosocial marker in human evolution

Abstract

In this article, we provide an analytical review of contemporary perspectives on the role of the human face in the system of communication and human evolution. We explore how the human face has developed throughout our evolutionary history under the influence of ecological and social processes considered in the framework of self-domestication. A significant focus of the article is the relationship between facial morphology – which serves as an important signal in human communication – and the behavioural traits that have been vital to our species’ evolution. We also examine how people perceive the faces of others, the information conveyed through facial features, and the evolutionary mechanisms that have shaped the human face as a biosocial marker. As a complement, we briefly discuss the evolution of emotional facial expressions, highlighting their importance as a key channel of non-verbal communication in humans. This article not only reviews current literature on these topics but also integrates findings from our own empirical research into the existing body of knowledge.