During maturation, example of phylogenetic function may be :

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 1:
The correct answer is Sitting and walking because these are classic examples of **phylogenetic functions** in human development. Phylogenetic functions refer to motor skills and behaviors that are common to the entire human species and emerge primarily as a result of **maturation**—that is, the unfolding of a genetic blueprint that guides the development of the nervous system and musculature. These functions follow a fixed, predictable sequence (e.g., sitting before standing, and standing before walking) that requires very little specific instruction or environmental intervention to appear. Walking, for instance, is a universal developmental milestone; a child requires a physically normal environment and minimal opportunity to practice, but they do not need a parent to "teach" them the complex, sequential steps of walking. The ability is inherent to our species' evolution, hence the term phylogenetic.

The incorrect option is 2:
Swimming and ball throwing are considered examples of **ontogenetic functions**, which distinguishes them from the phylogenetic category. Ontogenetic functions are skills whose acquisition depends significantly on specific, individual learning, practice, and environmental opportunity. While the biological capacity (strength and coordination) for these skills matures, the specific motor patterns for swimming strokes or throwing accurately must be explicitly learned and repeated. Not every child in every culture will learn to swim or throw a ball, demonstrating that this is an acquired skill dependent on cultural and individual exposure, not a species-wide, maturation-driven milestone. These are complex motor skills that do not simply unfold automatically but are mastered through deliberate, individual experience.

The incorrect option is 3:
Riding a bicycle is another quintessential example of an **ontogenetic function** and is therefore incorrect. The ability to ride a bicycle is not a skill that emerges universally across all children; it is entirely dependent on having access to the equipment and receiving specific instruction or engaging in substantial trial-and-error practice. The complex motor coordination required to balance, steer, and pedal simultaneously must be learned and stabilized, often taking many hours of effort. If this were a phylogenetic function, every child would spontaneously start riding a bicycle at a predetermined age, just as they spontaneously begin to walk. The need for intentional practice clearly places this in the category of learned, non-universal skills.

The incorrect option is 4:
Writing is a highly complex and culture-specific skill, making it an **ontogenetic function**. Writing is fundamentally dependent on formal, structured teaching to master both the fine motor skills (holding the pencil, forming letters) and the cognitive understanding of symbolic systems (alphabets and grammar). The neurological pathways for writing are established through deliberate training, not through simple biological maturation. Furthermore, the form of the skill is not universal; a child learns to write in a specific language with a specific script (e.g., Latin, Devanagari, or logographic systems). Since the skill is dependent on cultural invention and explicit instruction, it is a clear-cut case of an acquired, ontogenetic behavior, not a phylogenetic one.