Primate Societies: Group Techniques of Ecological Adaptation - Softcover

Kummer, Hans

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0202309045 ISBN 13: 9780202309040

Publisher: Aldine Transaction, 2006

Synopsis

In this book, Hans Kummer, one of the world's leading primate ethologists, examines the patterns of social interaction among primates. He examines this social behavior from the fundamentally biological viewpoint of evolutionary adaptation as part of the survival mechanisms for the species. Recognizing that all activity is constituted in part of genetic programming and in part of adaptive behavior, he explores the borderline area between the genetic and the "cultural." By use of astute observation and clever experimentation he shows that many aspects of social behavior are inherited, and differentially inherited among various primate groups. These data also show, however, that the individuals and troops learn much in primate social life and that these forms are responsive to particular ecological situations. Drawing heavily on knowledge gleaned from his own well-known studies of the Hamadryas baboon, Dr. Kummer introduces the reader to the daily life of a particular primate society. From this sample case, he proceeds to a more general characterization of primate societies, using as examples the great apes and monkeys of Africa, Asia, and South America and particularly the widely studied terrestrial monkey species. The particularities of primate communication, social structure, and economy are described and special attention is devoted to the primate counterparts of kinship and age groups-behavioral differences based on age and sex, and mating and grouping systems. This is followed by a chapter dealing with the ecological functions of the major parameters of primate social life, such as group size and the coordination of activities within it-dominance, leadership systems, and spatial arrangements. The second part of the book is concerned with the origins of behavioral traits of primates, discussed from phylogenetic, ecological, and cultural points of view, again using data-based examples. Dr. Kummer explains why some traits have not evolved that would have been adaptive, and traces the rise of several secondary functions in their place. The final section of- the book confronts man with his fellow primates, emphasizing the probable limits imposed upon human culture by the existing phylogenetic heritage.

About this title

Review

"[This book is a] review of affairs in baboon societies, and they prove to be diverse enough to provide many models for our own irascible ancestors... As an exploration of ideas about both the causal and functional relationships between environment and social behaviour kummer's book provides a stimulating survey, and exciting reading."

--Peter Jewell, Journal of Animal Ecology

"The Swiss zoologist Hans Kummer is well known for his classical studies of social organization among baboons. In this short but fascinating book, he has analysed primate societies with freshness and clarity, and put down his findings in beautiful English, lucid, precise and mercifully free from jargon... [W]hat makes the book of absorbing interest to anthropologists... is Kummer's detailed analysis of particular social adaptations."

--W. M. S. Russell, Man

"Kummer's book is a most interesting stimulating presentation which suggests a fresh look at nonhuman primate studies. Furthermore, it opens new vistas for a host of research topics."

--Frank E. Poirier, American Anthropologist

"Kummer has presented a skillful description of the intricacies of behavior and society and their relationships with habitat. The book offers profitable reading no matter what one's level of sophistication regarding primate behavior."

--James Loy, Science

"Primate Societies is about nonhuman primates and is valuable because Kummer offers many ideas and hypotheses which may well help to synthesize the exploding knowledge of monkey and ape behavior."

--Benjamin B. Beck, Evolution

"This small volume on primate social behavior is at once a simple introductory textbook and a highly sophisticated theoretical work... Short, colorful, highly readable, and completely authoritative, Kummer's book is equally suitable as a collateral text for undergraduate courses in psychology, biology, or anthropology or as a discussion piece for graduate seminars in animal behavior."

--Nicholas S. Thompson, The Quarterly Review of Biology

"[This book is a] review of affairs in baboon societies, and they prove to be diverse enough to provide many models for our own irascible ancestors... As an exploration of ideas about both the causal and functional relationships between environment and social behaviour kummer's book provides a stimulating survey, and exciting reading."

--Peter Jewell, Journal of Animal Ecology

"The Swiss zoologist Hans Kummer is well known for his classical studies of social organization among baboons. In this short but fascinating book, he has analysed primate societies with freshness and clarity, and put down his findings in beautiful English, lucid, precise and mercifully free from jargon... [W]hat makes the book of absorbing interest to anthropologists... is Kummer's detailed analysis of particular social adaptations."

--W. M. S. Russell, Man

"Kummer's book is a most interesting stimulating presentation which suggests a fresh look at nonhuman primate studies. Furthermore, it opens new vistas for a host of research topics."

--Frank E. Poirier, American Anthropologist

"Kummer has presented a skillful description of the intricacies of behavior and society and their relationships with habitat. The book offers profitable reading no matter what one's level of sophistication regarding primate behavior."

--James Loy, Science

"Primate Societies is about nonhuman primates and is valuable because Kummer offers many ideas and hypotheses which may well help to synthesize the exploding knowledge of monkey and ape behavior."

--Benjamin B. Beck, Evolution

"This small volume on primate social behavior is at once a simple introductory textbook and a highly sophisticated theoretical work... Short, colorful, highly readable, and completely authoritative, Kummer's book is equally suitable as a collateral text for undergraduate courses in psychology, biology, or anthropology or as a discussion piece for graduate seminars in animal behavior."

--Nicholas S. Thompson, The Quarterly Review of Biology

-[This book is a] review of affairs in baboon societies, and they prove to be diverse enough to provide many models for our own irascible ancestors... As an exploration of ideas about both the causal and functional relationships between environment and social behaviour kummer's book provides a stimulating survey, and exciting reading.-

--Peter Jewell, Journal of Animal Ecology

-The Swiss zoologist Hans Kummer is well known for his classical studies of social organization among baboons. In this short but fascinating book, he has analysed primate societies with freshness and clarity, and put down his findings in beautiful English, lucid, precise and mercifully free from jargon... [W]hat makes the book of absorbing interest to anthropologists... is Kummer's detailed analysis of particular social adaptations.-

--W. M. S. Russell, Man

-Kummer's book is a most interesting stimulating presentation which suggests a fresh look at nonhuman primate studies. Furthermore, it opens new vistas for a host of research topics.-

--Frank E. Poirier, American Anthropologist

-Kummer has presented a skillful description of the intricacies of behavior and society and their relationships with habitat. The book offers profitable reading no matter what one's level of sophistication regarding primate behavior.-

--James Loy, Science

-Primate Societies is about nonhuman primates and is valuable because Kummer offers many ideas and hypotheses which may well help to synthesize the exploding knowledge of monkey and ape behavior.-

--Benjamin B. Beck, Evolution

-This small volume on primate social behavior is at once a simple introductory textbook and a highly sophisticated theoretical work... Short, colorful, highly readable, and completely authoritative, Kummer's book is equally suitable as a collateral text for undergraduate courses in psychology, biology, or anthropology or as a discussion piece for graduate seminars in animal behavior.-

--Nicholas S. Thompson, The Quarterly Review of Biology

About the Author

Hans Kummer earned his Ph.D. in zoology from the University of Zurich.

Edition details

• Publisher: Aldine Transaction
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0202309045
• ISBN 13: 9780202309040
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 160