ANTH 311 - Primatology

What are the four fields comprising the discipline of anthropology?

• Physical

• Archaeology

• Anthropological Linguistics

• Social/Cultural

Of the four fields comprising the discipline of anthropology, which does primatology fit into?

Physical

What is biological anthropology?

The study of humans as biological organisms in an evolutionary framework, including a biocultural approach that emphasizes the role of, and interactions between, culture and human biology

What is primatology?

The study of nonhuman primate (prosimians, monkeys, and apes) behaviour, ecology, and biology

What are some of the reasons for studying primatology in anthropology?

1. Anthropocentric rationale (understanding human behaviour and more)

2. Test evolutionary models of animals

3. Conservation

Define: homologous traits

Traits with a common evolutionary origin that may have different functions (e.g., human arm and bat wing)

Define: analogous traits

Traits with a similar function but different evolutionary origin (e.g., butterfly wing and bird wing)

Define: phylogenetic fallacy

What is the (brief) history of primatology?

• 1920s-1950s: descriptive studies, mostly from captive studies

• 1950s: