# At what point in the evolution of Homo as a species could there have been a recognition moment? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 10, 2025, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-what-point-in-the-evolution-of-homo-as-a-species-could-there-have-been-a-recognition-moment/1021914 "2025-08-10T19:26:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2025, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-what-point-in-the-evolution-of-homo-as-a-species-could-there-have-been-a-recognition-moment/1021914/61 "2025-08-13T11:55:20Z")
Great cite. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2025, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-what-point-in-the-evolution-of-homo-as-a-species-could-there-have-been-a-recognition-moment/1021914/62 "2025-08-13T12:00:06Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > With pix (SFW). Unless you’re an Australian jewel beetle, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2025, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-what-point-in-the-evolution-of-homo-as-a-species-could-there-have-been-a-recognition-moment/1021914/63 "2025-08-13T12:25:58Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > The point with some of these things is that many creatures respond most to particular features, and exaggerated versions of that one feature results in an exaggerated response even if nothing else is like a potential mate, a supranormal stimulus. Well…. isn’t it possible that different hominid species may have had traits that were a “supranormal” stimulus to other hominid species? No way to know at this point, but it’s an interesting possibility. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2025, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-what-point-in-the-evolution-of-homo-as-a-species-could-there-have-been-a-recognition-moment/1021914/64 "2025-08-13T14:37:27Z")
Exactly so. As implied by that cite - the Dolly Parton Effect. We humans, both genders, sometimes fetishize particular features and respond disproportionately to them. That is not so dissimilar to the supranormal stimulus. The rest may be less important than the one feature. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2025, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-what-point-in-the-evolution-of-homo-as-a-species-could-there-have-been-a-recognition-moment/1021914/65 "2025-08-13T14:54:28Z")
I’ve read that humans have the most distinctive secondary sexual characteristics of the extant primates. Assuming that’s true, it’s probably been true for a long time and may well extend back to the times of the other hominins. At which point you might wonder whether we picked up some of those traits from those oh-so-hawt oh-so-well-endowed Neanderthals or Desinovians that some fraction of Homo sapiens just could not do without. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2025, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-what-point-in-the-evolution-of-homo-as-a-species-could-there-have-been-a-recognition-moment/1021914/66 "2025-08-13T15:17:43Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > I’ve read that humans have the most distinctive secondary sexual characteristics of the extant primates. I nominate the male mandrill. [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ed/Mandrill_Albert_September_2015_Zoo_Berlin_%282%29.jpg) ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ed/Mandrill_Albert_September_2015_Zoo_Berlin_%282%29.jpg) And other end is even more distinctive. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2025, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-what-point-in-the-evolution-of-homo-as-a-species-could-there-have-been-a-recognition-moment/1021914/67 "2025-08-14T01:51:49Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Exactly so. As implied by that cite - the Dolly Parton Effect. We humans, both genders, sometimes fetishize particular features and respond disproportionately to them. That is not so dissimilar to the supranormal stimulus. The rest may be less important than the one feature. Without doubt. A scientific study in two parts details exactly why men and women respond differently to [women who do or do not have erect nipples](https://www.iflscience.com/heterosexual-men-act-differently-around-women-with-visibly-erect-nipples-study-indicates-58978). Yes, this is a genuine study. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-what-point-in-the-evolution-of-homo-as-a-species-could-there-have-been-a-recognition-moment/1021914.md?page=3)