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PRIMATE BEHAVIOR

Professor: Susan Guise Sheridan, Ph.D.
Office: 171 Decio Building

Office phone: 631-7670
E-mail: sheridan.5@nd.edu

Class: Anth 406
Credits: 3

This course will explore the similarities and differences in behavior among the members of the Order Primates. Investigations of the form, function, and adaptations of our closest living relatives are essential to the study of human evolution. Understanding primate behavior provides a model for investigating the biological and cultural adaptations of early humans. Aspects of primate social interactions -- mother/infant bonds, male-female interactions, dominance hierarchies, communitcation, reproductive strategies, abberant behaviors, etc. -- will be explored in light of their relationship to human origins and human nature.

PART I: Ecology and Behavior of the Primates

THE ECOLOGICAL SETTING -----

Survey and Classification of the Primates: Definition of the Order Primates, trends in primate evolution, and a look at members of our Order.

Napier and Napier, Chapter 1, pp 8-19.
Lewin, R. 1993. Primate heritage. In Human Evolution: An Illustrated Introduction. Boston: Blackwell Scientific Publication, pp. 44-49.

Primate Ecology: a survey of the form, function, and adaptations of the primates. Diet, locomotion, body size, and social structure are explored.

Napier and Napier, Chapters 3 and 4, pp 30-59; 60-83.
Lewin, R. 1993. Bodies, brains, and energy. In Human Evolution: An Illustrated Introduction. Boston: Blackwell Scientific Publications, pp. 59-63.

Food and Feeding: further discussion of ecological relationships specifically related to diet and feeding patterns and the use of extant primates for reconstructing patterns of behavior about extinct species.

Jolly, A. 1985. Food and feeding. The Evolution of Primate Behavior, Second Edition. New York: Macmillan Publishing, pp. 45-71.
Sapolsky, RM. 1989. Junk food monkeys. Discover, September: 48-51.

SOCIAL STRUCTURE AND BEHAVIOR -----

Competition: aspects of competition will be covered - male/male, female/male, female/female, and juvenile/adult interactions will be discussed.

Jolly, A. 1985. Competition. The Evolution of Primate Behavior, Second Edition. New York: Macmillan Publishing, pp. 244-273.
Bramblett, CA. 1994. Primates in the laboratory ('aggression' section). Patterns of Primate Behavior, Second Edition. Prospect Heights, Illinois: Waveland Press, pp.75-85.

Reproductive Strategies: numerous reproductive strategies are used by our primate relatives, often related to group composition, dominance, ecology, etc. Many of these strategies will be discussed, as will how these models help us predict the behavior about our hominid ancestors.

Jolly, A. 1985. Sex. The Evolution of Primate Behavior, Second Edition. New York: Macmillan Publishing, pp. 274-290.
Diamond, J. 1985. Everything Else you always wanted to know about sex...but we were afraid you'd never ask. Discover, April: 70-82.
Fisher, H. 1994. The nature of romantic love. Journal of NIH Research, April: 59-64.

Mother-Infant Bonds: the mother-infant bond is of paramount importance in all primate societies. We will discuss the adaptive significance of this behavioral feature.

Jolly, A. 1972. Mothers and infants. The Evolution of Primate Behavior, New York: Macmillian Publishing, pp. 214-246.
Small, MF. 1995. A reasonable sleep. Annual Editions in Physical Anthropology 95/96. Guilford, Connecticut: Dushkin Publishing Group, pp. 231-235.

Play Groups: many adult behaviors are learned and practiced in juvenile play groups. We will discuss the adaptive significance of this behavioral feature.

Jolly, A. 1985. Play. The Evolution of Primate Behavior, Second Edition. New York: Macmillian Publishing, pp. 401-414.

INTELLIGENCE -----

Social Learning: this section will summarize the aforementioned sections and explore aspects of primate group composition, social interactions, and primate intelligence. The costs and benefits of intelligence from an adaptive perspective will be discussed.

Suomi, SJ. 1982. Abnormal behavior and primate models of psychopathology. In Primate Behavior. JL Forbes and JE King, eds. New York: Academic Press, pp. 172-218.

Ape Language Studies: language studies have given us some of our most detailed glimpses into the primate mind and level of intelligence. Both positive and negative aspects of these studies will be discussed.

Terrace, HS, LA Petitto, RJ Sanders, TG Bevers. 1979. Can an ape create a sentence? Science, 206(4421):891-900.
Preston, D. Jennie. New York: St. Martins Press. (yes, the WHOLE book. You'll like it.)

Captivity and Research: due to the highly social nature and intelligence of primates, behavior changes significantly in captivity. Aspects of these behavioral changes, as well as attempts by zoos and laboratories to improve living conditions will be explored. The future of primates in the wild and in captivity will be discussed.

King, F, CJ Yarbrough, DC Anderson, TP Gordon, and KG Gould. 1988. Primates. Science, 240:1475-1482.
Maple, TL. 1979. Great apes in captivity: the good, the bad, and the ugly. In Captivity and Behavior: Primates in Breeding Colonies, Laboratories, and Zoos. J. Erwin, TL Mapple, and G. Mitchell, eds. New York: van Norstrand Reinhold, Co, pp. 239-272.

PART II: Primate Models

Prosimians:Lemurs and golden lion tamarins will be studied using the behavioral aspects outlined above.

Napier and Napier, Chapter 5, pp 84-106.
Tattersall, I. 1993. Madagascar's Lemurs. Scientific American, 268(1):110-117.

New World Monkeys:A variety of NW monkeys will be studied using the behavioral aspects outlined above. Additional readings will be assigned at the time of this section.

Napier and Napier, Chapter 5, pp 107-128.

Old World Monkeys:Anubis and hamadryas baboons will serve as the model for discussing Old World monkey behavioral adaptations.

Napier and Napier, Chapter 5, pp 128-160.
Smuts, B. 1987. What are friends for? Natural History, 2:36-44.

Asian Apes:wild and captive orangutans will be studied, as will attempts to re-introduce orangs into the wild.

Napier and Napier, Chapter 5, pp 161-166.

African Apes: Gorillas and chimpanzees will be used as models.

Napier and Napier, Chapter 5, pp 166-174.
Veit, PG. 1982. Gorilla society. Natural History, 91(3):46-58.

REQUIRED TEXTS:

Hrdy, Sarah Blaffer. 1981. The Woman that Never Evolved. Cambridge: TEXT: Harvard Univ. Press.

Napier, JR and PH Napier. 1994. The Natural History of the Primates. Cambridge: MIT Press.

Preston, D. 1994. Jennie. New York: St. Martin's Press.

Primate Behavior Reader, compilation of current research

GRADING POLICIES: The final grade will be based upon:

30% = Attendance is not required (although very strongly recommended) except on the days of student class presentations. A variety of in-class activities will count towards your final grade. You will not be able to make-up in-class activities (by definition).

40% = Exam -- There will be one mid-term and a final exam. Each will count for 20% of your final grade. There will be no make-up exams

30% = Paper: You will write a 10-15 page research paper on a primate. You will work in groups of three to four - each member will be expected to write their own paper, focusing on differing aspects of some anatomical or behavioral feature. There will be assignments through-out the semester related to this project, including an annotated bibliography, zoo-work, and assorted assigned readings and group discussions. Each group will present their final research in a 15 minute class presentation at the end of the semester.

Home l Research l Teaching l Curriculum Vitae

30% =	Attendance is not required (although very strongly recommended) except on the days of student class presentations. A variety of in-class activities will count towards your final grade. You will not be able to make-up in-class activities (by definition).
40% =	Exam -- There will be one mid-term and a final exam. Each will count for 20% of your final grade. There will be no make-up exams
30% =	Paper: You will write a 10-15 page research paper on a primate. You will work in groups of three to four - each member will be expected to write their own paper, focusing on differing aspects of some anatomical or behavioral feature. There will be assignments through-out the semester related to this project, including an annotated bibliography, zoo-work, and assorted assigned readings and group discussions. Each group will present their final research in a 15 minute class presentation at the end of the semester.