Biological and evolutionary bases of human perception of the natural environment

Abstract

Perception is the gateway of the human species to the outside world. However, the concept of human perception may vary in accordance with the perspectives of different authors. For ethnobiology, investigation of the factors that infl uence perception is important to facilitate our understanding of the attitudes of human beings in their interactions with the environment. Thus, this chapter will focus on the biological and evolutionary bases that can explain the multiple perceptions of our species in terms of different environments and certain natural resources. The perception of organoleptic properties and the perception of landscapes will be used as examples in this discussion. Studies show that the perception of organoleptic properties by human groups is important in the recognition of food and medicinal plants, and perceptions of landscapes are fundamental to human survival in different environments.