Order of lecture -primatology Chapter 7 Primate behavior · 2019-04-16 · Order of...
Transcript of Order of lecture -primatology Chapter 7 Primate behavior · 2019-04-16 · Order of...
Order of lecture
-primatology
-behavior, behavioral ecology, and reproductive behavior
-primate social behavior: -dominance hierarchies -communication-primate 'cultural' behavior
-human language
-cooperation and altruism1
Chapter 7 Primate behavior
Where: Africa, Southeast Asia, South and Central America
Traits distinguishing primates from mammals: -longer flexible limbs (prehensility)-generalized dentition (omnivorous)-rely on vision more (diurnal, stereoscopic and color vision)-longer maturation stages (more reliance on learned behaviors)
-primate traits are adaptations to an arboreal lifestyle
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Summary Chapter 6 main points
Behavioral ecology: behaviors are adaptations -beneficial behaviors are selected for based on environment
-social structure affected by ecological factors like diet, resource distribution, predation
Reproductive behaviors influence social structure: -females compete for resources that benefit increased parental investment while males compete for access to females
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Summary of primate behavior points
Primate societies organize into dominance hierarchies:-impose order-establish parameters for individual behavior-rank measured by access to resources-learned and ranks can be changed-dominance and subordination is communicated
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Summary of primate behavior points
Order of lecture
-primatology
-behavior, behavioral ecology, and reproductive behavior
-primate social behavior: -dominance hierarchies -communication-primate 'cultural' behavior
-human language
-cooperation and altruism5
Chapter 7 Primate behavior
-study of nonhuman primate behavior and biology
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Primatology
-study of nonhuman primate behavior and biology
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Primatology
Behavior: an organism's response to external/internal stimuli
-behavioral ecology
-reproductive behaviors
-primates are highly social animals so interested in social behaviors
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Behavior in general
Behavioral ecology: all biological components of ecological systems evolved together.
Behavioral adaptations: natural selection acts on behaviors that increase reproductive fitness relative to different environments
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Behavioral ecology
Diet: weigh energy gained by food against energy expended obtaining food
Distribution of resources: leaves are abundant, fruits dispersed on trees (groups split up and forage), etc.
Predation: high predation makes larger groups more advantageous
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Factors influencing social structure
Reproductive strategies: produce and successfully rear to adulthood as many offspring as possible
R-selected: have many offspring, little parental investment
K-selected: few offspring, more parental care investment
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Reproductive behaviors
Primates are k-selected
Females compete for resources benefitting offspring rearing
Males compete for access to females
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Primate reproductive strategies
Sexual dimorphism influenced by high male competition-larger male body size and teeth
Estrus: swelling of skin around female genital area-visual cue of female's readiness to mate
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Primate reproductive strategies
-system of social organization wherein individuals are ranked relative to one another-measure rank by access to resources
Dominant/subordinate position is communicated-learn rank through interactions with other members of a group
Benefits: reduces physical violence in groups-higher ranking individuals have higher reproductive success
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Primate dominance hierarchies
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Primate social structure influenced by reproductive behavior
Monogamy: one male-one femaleEx: gibbons
Polyandry: single-female, multi-male Ex: red lion tamarins
Both are rare for primates
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Primate social structure influenced by reproductive behavior
Polygyny: multi-female, single-male -commonEx: gorillas, baboons
Multi-female, multi-male -most commonEx: chimpanzees
-acts that conveys info to another individual (the recipient)-results in change in recipient's behavior
autonomic: involuntary behaviorsEx: scents, hair standing up, facial coloration
intentional: voluntary behaviors-primates communicate submission, reassurance, warningsEx: postures, facial expressions, vocalizations
Ex: alarm calls for birds, snakes, leopards https://youtu.be/o-bxPLFt1vI 17
Communication
-vital to social living Ex: gestures communicate social bonds
Aggressive behaviors-conflict between group members-often due to competition for resources
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Communication
Displays: behaviors convey emotional states-reduces physical violence-reinforces position in dominance hierarchy
Ex: Facial expressions: dominance threatening face vs submissive fear grin
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Dominant/subordinate communication
-promote social cohesion-defuse tense situations-convey reassurance Ex: touching, petting, hugging, holding hands
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Affiliative behaviors
Grooming: picking debris out of another's fur-most important affiliative behavior seen in many social contexts-reinforces social bondsEx: moms groom infants, males groom sexually receptive females,...
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Affiliative behaviors
-observe complex social behaviors in primates resembling culture-young primates learn through observations
Ex: modifying termite fishing twigs shows planning/forethought
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Primate "cultural" behavior
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Primate "cultural" behavior-observe complex social behaviors in primates resembling culture-young primates learn through observations
Ex: modifying termite fishing twigs shows planning/forethought
Koko: female gorilla learned 700 ASL signs from primatologistsSome evidence of:
-linguistic productivity (called swans waterbirds)-linguistic displacement (reactions to missing kittens)
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Primate communication and 'language'
Kanzi: male bonobo capable of communicating with lexigrams-at 2.5 years old spontaneously learned by observing primatologists teach his mother-evidence of teaching other primates
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Primate communication and 'language'
Koko and Kanzi demonstrate-nonhuman apes can learn to communicate
But animal communication-conveys information about immediate, present states-no grammar (specific rules)-not seen in wild gorilla or chimpanzee populations-cannot producing sounds of human speech
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Primate communication and 'language'
-socially and culturally learned (observation and taught)-grammar-relies on linguistic productivity-uses arbitrary symbols (gestures and written)-linguistic displacement-conveys abstract concepts (past and future)-objects we can't see
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Human language