PRIMATE BEHAVIOR Increased emphasis on learning vs instinct compared to other mammals Primates spend a greater proportion of their life growing up both biologically and socially Offspring require a long period of parental care Why do anthropologists study non human primate behavior Primate behavior studies are seen as models for early human behavior or for the origin of such behaviors Primates and humans share ancestors so behavior may be homologous The two primates used most often for interpreting origin of human behavior have been Baboon analogous terrestrial with arboreal ancestry and Chimpanzee homologous Early studies were done in the laboratory and zoos Since 1970s in the wild Primates recognize individuals and each individual holds a certain status within the dominance hierarchy of the group Primate social systems are maintained through communication Facial expressions Vocalizations Body language Touch Goodall 1986 135 Facial expressions Jane Goodall has documented chimpanzee facial expressions Goodall 1986 120 Compressed lips aggression Turnbaugh et al 2002 154 Full closed grin fear excitement Goodall 1986 121 Goodall 1986 123 Vocalizations Among chimpanzees vocalizations are closely bound to emotion i e can t make the sound without experiencing the emotion Calls are elicited by or directed toward 1 Individuals in the same party Goodall 1986 129 Chimpanzee mothers recognize the screams of their own offspring 2 Community members in different parties 3 Individuals of a neighbor community 4 Nonanimate environmental stimuli 5 Animals of other species Goodall 1986 123 129 Goodall 1986 127 Goodall 1986 127 TOUCH Physical contact is frequently used to reassure or appease distressed or tense individuals Social grooming is a significant aspect of chimp social life Goodall 1986 393 Goodall 1986 124 Siblings embrace at reunion Mutual open mouth kiss at reunion Goodall 1986 398 Goodall 1986 130 Chimp on right greets other with a kiss Goodall 1986 366 BODY LANGUAGE Nonvocal communication occurs through a variety of postures and gestures These include Submissive patterns presenting extending the hand crouching bobbing Aggressive patterns waving arms bipedal swaggering shoulder hunch male charging display Most communication depending upon visual cues takes place at close range except for females in estrus Male charging display Goodall 1986 316 Chimp on left approaches with apprehensive pant grunts while dominant chimp on right shows the sitting hunch Goodall 1986 366 Screaming while crouching in a temper tantrum Goodall 1986 130 Dominant male on left submissive male on right is bobbing and uttering pant barks Goodall 1986 123 COMMUNICATION relies on a combination of facial expressions vocalizations touch and body language Among chimpanzees social interactions are tied to emotion All chimpanzees regardless of age tend to act the way they feel with little or no masking of their emotional state much like human children Goodall 1986 Cognitive Ability Beginning in the 1960s researchers have taught American Sign Language ASL to primates to learn more about their cognitive abilities First was Washoe a chimp Since then other chimps gorillas and an orangutan Can use symbolic language Can express new ideas apply to new concepts Displacement can discuss things not present in space or time Is learned They have observed these animals signing to themselves when playing alone Can form short sentences at about a human 2 3 year old level The animals have taught other animals how to sign Nim signing more Terrace 1979 161 ACTIVITY PATTERNS For most non prosimian primates The day is divided into three main activities Feeding Moving Resting A small part of the day includes Sex Grooming Territorial displays Grooming ritual cleaning of another animal s coat For gorillas it is hygienic For chimps and baboons it provides social cement for friendliness submission appeasement closeness Goodall 1986 393 Human Primate Similarities Many differences are in degree rather than in kind Learning Primates including humans learn from experience throughout their lives Among chimpanzees this includes making and using tools Even gorillas make nests and throw objects Goodall 1986 Tool Use In the wild baboons or gorillas don t make or use tools to a significant extent Chimpanzees and orangutans do TOOL object used to do a task MAKE deliberate modification of something for an intended use In making tools chimpanzees Follow some patterns Prepare the tool for future use elsewhere Use to solve new problems Learn use and how to make Hunting Both baboons and chimpanzees are known to hunt other animals for meat Baboons eat young antelopes Chimpanzees favor red colobus monkeys Hunting is both opportunistic and planned Goodall 1986 300 Hunting frequently involves teamwork Meat is often shared In chimps meat is sometimes used to obtain sex or cement social alliances Goodall 1986 SOCIALIZATION Primates living in groups manage social interactions through a dominance hierarchy and a network of alliances or friendships Mother child bond may remain strong Males are generally dominant over females and males dominate hostile intergroup encounters Goodall 1986 All of these behaviors come together as they do among humans to make for life in a social setting Communication facial expressions vocalizations touch body language depends upon and reinforces the social situation Behavior and responses are learned Goodall 1986 HUMAN PRIMATE DIFFERENCES Humans appear to be the most cooperative share food regularly may obtain food together Humans rely on meat more than do other primates omnivorous diet Humans don t consume and eliminate constantly but do so in periods Language contributes to greater information storage HUMAN PRIMATE DIFFERENCES Humans mate throughout the year other primates mate when female is in estrus Humans recognize marriage and create kinship systems with marriage rules which can provide ties affiliation between members of different groups Female chimp in estrus Turnbaugh et al 2002 158
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