Primate Behaviour Information, Social Knoledge, and the Evolution of Culture [Paperback]

This book is about the social life of monkeys, apes and humans.Stressing direct connections between human and nonhuman society, this book about the social life of monkeys, apes and humans emphasizes the importance of social information and knowledge in the understanding of primate behavior and organization.Stressing direct connections between human and nonhuman society, this book about the social life of monkeys, apes and humans emphasizes the importance of social information and knowledge in the understanding of primate behavior and organization.This book is about the social life of monkeys, apes and humans. The central theme is the importance of social information and knowledge to a full understanding of primate social behavior and organization. Its main purpose is to stress evolutionary continuity, i.e. that there are direct connections between human and nonhuman society. This view is often downplayed elsewhere in the anthropological literature where the notion that humans have culture and animals do not is prevalent. Topics covered include an overview of the contexts of behavior; a comparison of blind strategies and tactical decision-making; social cognition; a review of intentionalist interpretations of behavior; kinship; language and its social implications; and the constraints of culture.1. Introduction; 2. The contexts of behaviour; 3. Emphasizing individual benefits: blind strategies; 4. Emphasizing individual benefits: tactical decisions; 5. Cognition; 6. Social cognition; 7. Intentionalist interpretations of behaviour; 8. Kinship in the social domain; 9. Kinship and marriage; 10. The constraints of culture; 11. Language and its social implications; References; Index. ...a useful synthesis of the current state of cognitive primatology, as seen through experienced anthropological eyes, that presents a challenge to readers seeking to make sense of this topical area of research. W. C. McGrew, Nature ...a stimulating journey. The argument avoids many pitfallc$