Analysis Of Macaques

Science released an article entitled “Facial Expressions—Including Fear—May Not Be as Universal as We Thought”, written by Michael Pierce on October 17, 2016. In this article Pierce discusses how 50 years ago it was assumed that facial expressions were universal. However, it has been found that in the present day, this may not be the case. Expressions such as happiness, anger, sadness, fear, disgust, or hunger, were all assumed to be expressed the same way as well as interpreted the same way. A study was conducted in the Trobriand Islands, were Trobrianders were shown as series of photos with facial expressions. They were asked to describe the emotions they interpreted from the photos, the results were intriguing. Pierce (2016) describes how

In the study of the female chimpanzee Lana, the authors tested the Stroop-like effect with an animal to gather evidence from a nonverbal organism to provide additional information about the role of compatibility between response latency and performance accuracy.

Primates are one of the most interesting mammals on earth, not only because of their complex social structures, but because they hold so many similar characteristics to humans. Primates are often cited as our closest living relatives and on two separate occasions I observed four separate species of primates at the San Diego Zoo that can justify their use of their physical characteristics and behaviors that may be similar as well as different to the other primates and ours.

Within this essay, we will study more in depth the behavioral as well as physical traits of two primates at a zoo from their interaction with their peers to their place in the group. This observation would enable us to further understand the possible existing correlation between humans and primates. First, I studied a female chimpanzee with her baby, and then, a dominant male gorilla, in San Francisco Zoo at about noon, on May 23, 2015, for an hour each. Even though they share some similarities such as having a large brain, living for a long time, and being bored in their enclosure, they are still different; when gorillas are the largest, chimpanzees are the smartest. In fact, chimps use tools to catch food, they would not be able to reach

Chimpanzees portray their emotions through a number of facial expressions and mannerisms. Just like humans, they undergo mood swings, jealous rages, and laughter. For instance, Goodall observed during her research that a male gorilla “would threaten [me] with an upward and

Primates have some features that support them for the arboreal life. First, primates have developed grasping extremities with the divergent hallux and nails instead of claws. These features help them grasping branches better. Second, primates have enhanced vision with the optic convergence, which helps them look straightforward. They also have postorbital bar to protect the eyes. Third, primates reduced the olfaction that is not useful for arboreal life. Fourth, comparing to the other mammals, primates have large brain consider to the body size. The large brain helps them to process the complicating reactions, and thinking. Haplorrhines primates have some unique derived traits: the loss of tapetum lucidum, which enhances the vision in the darkness; and haplorhini, which is dry external nose. The anthropoid primates have developed some derived traits. They have postorbital bar with closure, and this makes a complete bony ring surrounds the eyes. They also have fused mandibular symphysis. The Platyrrhines have the dental formula 2.1.3.3/2.1.3.3. The Catarrhines have dental formula 2.1.2.3/2.1.2.3. The Cercopithecoids have the bilophodont molars to enhance the chewing ability. The hominoids are the most developed primates, which have some derived unique traits. They have larger brain, loss of tail, longer arms than legs, broad thorax with more muscles, and highly mobile shoulder.

Joseph Henrich began, A Puzzling Primate, by describing how physically inept human beings are when compared to the rest of the animal kingdom. He continues with this logic when he demonstrates, that humans in this era, would not be able to survive if placed in the wild forest environment. Due to the biological weakness of humans, culture became a necessary defense mechanism and a form of protection. Culture became a unique way for humans to adapt. Despite the obvious physical weakness of humans, through culture we have rose to be the dominant species.

A study done by Demaru (2015) in the Apenheul Primate Park in the Netherlands sought to examine PF in playful interaction across a diversity of bonobo age groups. The results of the study showed that facial expressions acted as emotional signals of playfulness and excitement (Demaru et al. 2015). Further, the bonobos understood the meaning of their facial expression and would proceed to hide their expression if they did not want to play, showing the cognitive capacity for self-awareness and self-reflection (Demaru et al. 2015). The study also showed that adult bonobos could better control their facial expressions when playing with young in order to suppress any possible over-excitement and aggression amongst the juvenile bonobos (Demaru et al. 2015: 341). Another study conducted

In the end, the Golden – Cheeked Gibbon is a fascinating primate that has a unique style of motion and call. While I did not experience that call that the gibbon uses to either have a mating partner or claim its own territory, it does exist. Their way of moving throughout the enclosure is fascinating to watch as they swing their long arms around. Moving from prop to prop they are easily able to move from one side of the enclosure in under ten seconds. The primates provided key examples on similarities that humans share with these animals, and other primates. The interaction

must mean that gestures come from our primate heritage. When humans, like primates are happy they smile or laugh, when they win they have a big grin on their face, and when we are excited about something we yell or jump on up and down. Chimpanzees have the same reaction because if you go the zoo you can see them on top of a tree in the corner which means that they want to be alone, just like us. When we, as a species get mad you can tell by our movement like face get tight, we cross our hands, our teeth clenches, we have a fist hand, and have a look in our eyes. Primates like monkeys and gorillas show the same thing because when they are mad they scream

Many would say chimpanzees are our long lost relatives. They have many traits that may mirror human beings and they are able to show signs of communication. Whether it be playing pranks on their handlers or simply telling them they are hungry, chimpanzees are highly intellectual creatures that are misunderstood. In “Next of Kin,” a book written by psychologist Roger Fouts, notices and appreciates this intellectual behavior shown from our hairy relatives. For centuries chimpanzees have been practicing the art of communication using gestures, different dialects in hand movement, facial expressions and forms of body language very similar to that of a human. Through his studies in theories of communication, Fout’s expressed that he learned a significant amount more from the chimpanzees than from an American Sign Language program. His store is told in this novel expressing great insight and affection.

In this article, “What does variation in primate behavior mean?” the author, Karen Strier describes the general concept of intraspecific behavioral variation, in concerns towards the ability of primates of all species to change and adapt to benefit and increase their future survival rate. Her analysis details how “behavioral flexibility” within the primate world has been studied and understood for a long period of time, but now along with the addition of intraspecific behavioral variation, there is a realization of the potential threat to primate survival under new conditions including environmental influences.

He later explains the similarities with a extensively documented between human and those of animals facial expressions. He goes on to note that “if a young chimpanzee be tickled” as of a young child, a decidedly laugh sound is uttered” and that “ the eyes of a young chimpanzee wrinkles and sparkle brighter, when they laugh”. 100 year after Darwin had written his book, Frans De Waal argues that tickling a young chimpanzee evokes the same smile as of a child. Since then a study published (2015) has shown that same muscles are involved in chimpanzee and humans

Communication underpins all primate social behavior. Primates communicate with olfactory, visual and vocal signals. Acoustic communication has been the most often studied, followed by visual and then olfactory signals (Semple & Higham, 2013). Typically primates are considered visual animals and several species have the ability to recognize color variants, an extensive range of facial expressions and colorful markings. Compared to numerous other mammals that have extensive reliance on chemosensation, primate olfactory system can appear unremarkable. It has been argued as to whether primates are “microsmatic” (not heavily reliant on smell) compared to other mammals (such as rodents) that are considered “macrosmatic” (heavily reliant on smell). Some researchers argue that not all primates are microsmatic, but instead only a subset of primates (specifically haplorhines) (Heymann et al., 2006). One of the major trends in primate evolution that is often discussed is the "replacement" of olfactory sensitivity by visual specializations like acuity and trichromacy in a sort of trade off pattern (Nummela et al., 2013).

Another experiment by psychologist Robert Miller and his colleagues was designed to see if a monkey was able to interpret another monkey’s facial expression. The researchers trained rhesus monkeys to pull a lever to avoid getting shocked after a