What is the name of the view that suggests modern humans evolved independently in Africa, Europe, and Asia?

Prepare for the NCEA Level 3 Biology – Human Evolution Exam. Use quizzes, flashcards, and detailed explanations to ensure success. Master key concepts and get ready with confidence!

The view that suggests modern humans evolved independently in Africa, Europe, and Asia is known as the Multiregional hypothesis. This hypothesis posits that while Homo erectus or similar ancestors migrated out of Africa around 1.8 million years ago, modern Homo sapiens evolved simultaneously in multiple regions, interacting genetically over time. This model emphasizes the continuity of local populations as they developed into anatomically modern humans without a single point of origin.

Multiregionalism contrasts with the Out of Africa theory, which proposes that modern humans originated from a single population in Africa and then dispersed to other regions, replacing local populations. The other options, such as Gradualism and Phyletic gradualism, pertain to modes of evolutionary change rather than specific hypotheses about human origins. Gradualism refers to the slow, gradual changes that occur over time within a species, while Phyletic gradualism is a specific formulation that describes how species evolve through a steady accumulation of changes, without major shifts. These concepts, while related to evolution, do not address the geographic aspect of human evolution as the Multiregional hypothesis does.

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