Essentials of Biological Anthropology– Chap 7
Updated 20 May 2019
For each term, know what it means and how it relates to this chapter and to which Kin selection primate(s). Sexual selection
Monogamous pair Dominance hierarchy
Polyandry Reproductive strategies of males and females
Polygyny juvenile
Primate residence patterns infanticide
Sexual dimorphism communication
Multi-male, multi-female vocalization
Single male, multi-female language
Allogrooming protolanguage
lexigram Culture
affix (e.g., suffix or prefix) Protoculture
Subsistence
Altruism
Hamilton’s rule Thought Questions
Write a brief paragraph to answer each question in your own words. Include specific examples and definitions. Know which primate does which things.
1. What is culture? What characteristics of human culture do primatologists look for in nonhumans? Be sure to include vocabulary featured in the lecture notes
Which chimpanzee behaviors qualify as protoculture? Are any true culture? Which capuchin monkey behaviors qualify as protoculture? Are any true culture? What about true brachiation? Is that culture? Why or why not? What about allogrooming?
2. What is language? What characteristics of human language do primatologists look for in nonhumans? Be sure to include vocabulary featured in the lecture notes.
What about alarm calls? Do they qualify as language? Why or why not? What about Kanzi’s language-like behavior? Is that language? Why or why not?
3. What patterns do we see in primates between sexually dimorphic body size and group structure (how many males and how many females)?
4. What are some altruistic behaviors in nonhuman primates?
5. What is kin selection? How does it explain the evolution of altruism?