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Understanding Human Evolution: Insights from Primate Models

Explore primate behavior models to understand human evolution, including language, culture, body size, brain function, tool use, and social behaviors. Delve into the origins of human characteristics and behaviors through the study of non-human primates.

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Understanding Human Evolution: Insights from Primate Models

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  1. Primate behavior Models for human evolution

  2. Objectives • Human characteristics and behaviors :evolution? • Discuss language and cultural behaviors of non-human primates ANA 215 Model Human Evolution

  3. What makes us human? • Habitual bipedal • Permanent bisexual groups • Large brain relative to body size • Language usage/ culture • Males and females obtain food • Concealed ovulation ANA 215 Model Human Evolution

  4. Hominid body size • Small large body size • Smaller primates: higher BMR (basal metabolic rate) and need more calories than larger primates • Exploit different areas to fulfill needs. • Proportional relationship of brain to body size ANA 215 Model Human Evolution

  5. Language • Vervets monkeys • Present/ closed system • Humans • Past, present, future/open system • Use of symbols is arbitrary • Think symbolically ANA 215 Model Human Evolution

  6. Chimpanzees & language • Washoe (Gardener 1966) • American sign language (ASL) 132 signs • Taught signs to another chimpanzee • Koko & Michael (Patterson) • Used ASL to communicate with one another ANA 215 Model Human Evolution

  7. Chimpanzees & language • Sara (Premack) • Symbolic thought • Sherman & Austin (Savage – Rumbaugh) • Representation of a symbol ANA 215 Model Human Evolution

  8. Evolution of language • Left hemisphere: dominant for language • Broca's and Wernicke's area • Magnetic resonance imaging (Cantalupo and Hopkins 2001) • Broca's area more developed on the left than the right ANA 215 Model Human Evolution

  9. Culture in primates? • All non-genetic learned behavior • Cultural tradition • Japanese macaques - Imo potato washing • Dietary habits and food preferences are learned behaviors ANA 215 Model Human Evolution

  10. Tool use • Termite fishing - chimpanzees • Termite fishing sticks: manufacturing indicates planning for future events. • Leaf sponges • Hammerstones to crack open nuts/fruits • Weapons - white faced capuchin • Used a stick to kill a snake ANA 215 Model Human Evolution

  11. Criteria for cultural behavior (McGrew, 1992) • Innovation • Dissemination • Standardization • Durability • Diffusion • Tradition • Non-subsistence • Naturalness ANA 215 Model Human Evolution

  12. Aggression • Territory, mating partners and food • Home range/core area • Lethal aggression - only chimpanzees and humans • Gombe village (1973 - 1977) • Death of eight chimpanzees by conspecifics ANA 215 Model Human Evolution

  13. Violent behaviors? • Chimpanzees: males are philopatric • Manson and Wrangham (1991) • Lethal behaviors attributed to the fact that males chimpanzees are philopatric. ANA 215 Model Human Evolution

  14. Social bonds • Affiliation • Altruism • Caring for others who are not genetically related • Cooperation • Alliances, coalitions in which all members benefit • Cooperative hunting among Chimpanzees ANA 215 Model Human Evolution

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