Re: How do you define Modern Human Behaviour?

Hello!
Firstly, I must apologize for the lateness of this answer; I have been 
having some pretty obnoxious computer troubles, and have not been as 
reachable as I would like to be; I am very sorry!  Secondly, this is not 
precisely my area of expertise, and I have consulted a few friends on this 
topic; (Also my deepest apologies for no written references!) this is a 
question not easily answered, but I hope to give you a few ideas and, if I 
am lucky, some help.
On Achieving Modern Thought:
It is thought that "modern thinking patterns" evolved with the size of the 
hominid brain; these transformations supposodly occurred over several 
million years.  There is also no evidence of a specific brain structure 
among earlier humanoids (specifically, A. Afarensis, H. Habilis and so 
forth), but at the time of Homo Erectus, the cranial capacity began to 
rival that of modern man.
As for the very definition of modern thought, this is where it gets touchy 
among anthropologists; it seems to be more of an opinion than an actual, 
traceable fact or factor.  It is most widely thought that the developement 
of conceptual modern thought was marked by the development of unique 
cognitive traits such as a precise language and a strong social 
structure.  One should consider how "modern" is defined before going any 
further into the definition; as for the definition of modern, it is 
another thing entirely based upon opinions and hypotheses.
I wish you the best of luck on your papers and studies; I hope that this 
has been of some help to you, and was not too late!

Peace,

Tyr Fothergill
University of Colorado
Anthropology Department