Editing Neoteny (section)

== In humans ==
{{main|Neoteny in humans}}

Neoteny in humans is the slowing or delaying of body development, compared to non-human [[primates]], resulting in features such as a large head, a flat face, and relatively short arms. These neotenic changes may have been brought about by [[sexual selection in human evolution]]. In turn, they may have permitted the development of human capacities such as emotional communication. Some evolutionary theorists have proposed that neoteny was a key feature in [[human evolution]].<ref>{{cite journal |last=Shea |first=Brian T. |title=Heterochrony in human evolution: The case for neoteny reconsidered |journal=American Journal of Physical Anthropology |date=1989 |volume=32 |issue=S10 |pages=69–101 |doi=10.1002/ajpa.1330320505}}</ref> [[J. B. S. Haldane]] states a "major evolutionary trend in human beings" is "greater prolongation of childhood and retardation of maturity."<ref name="Montagu" /> [[Del Thiessen|Delbert D. Thiessen]] said that "neoteny becomes more apparent as early primates evolved into later forms" and that primates have been "evolving toward flat face."<ref name="Bitter">Thiessen, D.D. (1997). Bittersweet destiny: the stormy evolution of human behavior. Transaction Publishers, N.J.</ref> Doug Jones argued that human evolution's trend toward neoteny may have been caused by sexual selection in human evolution for neotenous facial traits in women by men with the resulting neoteny in male faces being a "by-product" of [[sexual selection]] for neotenous female faces.<ref name="DJones">{{cite journal |last1=Jones |first1=D. |display-authors=etal |year=1995 |title=Sexual selection, physical attractiveness, and facial neoteny: Cross-cultural evidence and implications [and comments and reply] |url=https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1601&context=fchd_facpub|journal=Current Anthropology |volume=36 |issue=5 |pages=723–748 |doi=10.1086/204427 |s2cid=52840802 }}</ref>