Overview

Why do anthropologists study monkeys? Because 98% of our DNA is identical to chimpanzees. By observing how they live, fight, love, and use tools, we can infer what the behavior of our early ancestors might have been like before we developed language and culture. It is the study of “human nature” without the veneer of civilization.

Core Idea

The core idea is comparative anatomy and behavior. If humans and chimps both do something (e.g., wage war, hug for comfort), it is likely a trait we inherited from our common ancestor 6 million years ago. If only humans do it (e.g., speak in sentences), it is a uniquely derived trait.

Formal Definition

The branch of zoology and anthropology that deals with primates. It includes both field studies (watching wild apes) and laboratory studies (cognitive tests).

Intuition

Watch a group of chimps at a zoo. You see a mother cradling a baby. You see two males posturing and screaming to see who is boss. You see friends grooming each other to relax. It feels eerily familiar. That “shock of recognition” is the heart of primatology. We are looking in a biological mirror.

Examples

  • Jane Goodall: In 1960, she went to Gombe Stream National Park and discovered that chimps make tools (using sticks to fish for termites). This redefined what it meant to be human (“Man the Toolmaker”).
  • Bonobos: Our other closest cousins. Unlike the aggressive, male-dominated chimps, bonobos are female-dominated and use sex (not violence) to resolve conflict. They show that “peace and love” is just as natural as war.
  • Language Studies: Famous apes like Koko (gorilla) and Kanzi (bonobo) who were taught sign language or symbol boards, challenging the idea that language is unique to humans.

Common Misconceptions

  • We evolved from monkeys: Again, we share a common ancestor. We are not “higher” or “more evolved”; we just evolved in a different direction (big brains vs. big muscles).
  • It’s just animal watching: It involves complex statistical analysis of social networks, genetics, and ecology.
  • Social Grooming: The glue of primate society. Picking bugs off each other releases endorphins and builds political alliances. Anthropologists argue that human gossip is just “vocal grooming.”
  • Dominance Hierarchy: The ranking system (Alpha, Beta) that organizes access to food and mates.
  • Theory of Mind: The ability to understand that others have thoughts different from your own. Primatologists debate whether apes have this.

Applications

  • Conservation: Most primates are endangered. Primatologists are on the front lines of fighting poaching and habitat loss.
  • Psychology: Understanding the deep evolutionary roots of aggression, mother-infant bonding (Attachment Theory), and stress.

Criticism / Limitations

  • Anthropomorphism: The danger of projecting human emotions onto animals (e.g., thinking a chimp “smile,” which is actually a fear grimace, means they are happy).
  • Captivity: Studies of captive apes might not reflect natural behavior (just as studying humans in prison wouldn’t reflect normal society).

Further Reading

  • Goodall, Jane. In the Shadow of Man. 1971.
  • de Waal, Frans. Chimpanzee Politics. 1982.
  • Hrdy, Sarah Blaffer. Mothers and Others. 2009.