PRIMATE BEHAVIOR (Anthropology 323K--Introductory Level) Course instructor: CLAUD A. BRAMBLETT Anthropology University of Texas Austin, TX 78712 USA Phone: 512 471-0054 Fax: 512 471-6535 email: cbramblett@mail.utexas.edu Primate Behavior (The University of Texas, Austin) Instructors: Claud Bramblett Phone 512-471-0054 Email cbramblett@mail.utexas.edu Deborah Overdorff Phone 512-471-7532 Email: overdorff@mail.utexas.edu Mail: Department of Anthropology University of Texas Austin, TX 78712 BACKGROUND: This class is a junior/senior introductory class in primate behavior. It tries to emphasize organismal biology of primates and it is intended both as a starting point for further coursework in primate behavior and as a survey course for nonscience students. This class consists of two hours of lecture and two hours of lab each week. The experience of systematically watching a complex primate society pays large dividends in insight. Success at documenting what is seen requires both diligence and discipline. The purposes of the lab are: (1) to promote an understanding of science as a process (2) to gain a comparative perspective about biology by systematically studying a nonhuman species (3) to learn about nonhuman primates (4) to increase experience with skills used in research (5) to stimulate further interest in biological topics (6) to have fun. Enrollment is about 60 students per semester, a limit imposed by the logistics of the lab assignment. Students reflect the diversity of backgrounds and majors typical of a college campus. Anthropology 323k is cross listed as Women's Studies 323. It counts as a science course for Liberal Arts majors. The class is offered every semester. Overdorff and Bramblett alternate as instructor. The current teaching assistant in charge of the laboratory is Steig Johnson . LAB SYLLABUS: PRIMATE BEHAVIOR LAB SYLLABUS (prepared by Beth Erhart) The Animal Resource Center (ARC) is located on Speedway, 1 block North of 26th street. Lab times Labs are from 1-3 pm T, W, Th, and F in ARC 2.172. Enter the ARC through the front door on Speedway. Check in at the reception desk, make sure you have a photo ID ready. Purpose: The lab section of Primate Behavior 323K is designed to familiarize the student with observation methods and data collection techniques utilized in the study of animal behavior. REQUIREMENTS: Parallel Test: You are required to familiarize yourself with the monkeys at the ARC and with the behaviors they perform. When you feel comfortable with identifying the animals and knowledgeable about the behaviors I will run a parallel test with you. Simply, this test will require you and I to watch and record the behavior of the same animal for a number of minutes. You will begin collecting your own data when the two of us have an acceptable percentage rate of agreement on the behaviors we record. (In other words, you must pass the parallel test before you can begin to collect your own data.) You will have approximately two weeks to learn the animals, learn the behaviors, and pass your parallel test. Data: You will then be ready to complete "two" 10 minute observation sessions on each monkey in the ARC. For an example of data collection, see "Making Good Observations", p. 17. Data observation sheets are kept in ARC 2.170. You have assigned lab time, but the lab is open from 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday so you may do your observations any time during these hours. All data will be entered on Macintosh computers. For information on data entry, see "Computer News", p. 18 of lab manual. Data is graded on accuracy, length and the number of times the animals were watched (remember each animal must be watched twice, for ten minutes each time!). IMPORTANT: For everyday your data is late, a half a letter grade will be deducted. Paper: When all your data is in, it will be tabulated and summarized together with the rest of the class data and returned to you for interpretation. You are required to write a brief paper on one aspect of th e summary that interests you. As you read your textbooks keep your paper in mind, this might be helpful in generating ideas for your paper. In addition, papers from other semesters are available for you to look at during office hours. Your paper should include an Abstract and Introduction, as well as sections entitled Methods, Results, Discussion, and Reference. The American Journal of Primatology , the Journal of Comparative Psychology , and Ethology are all journals you can refer to for examples of this format. If you need help in writing this paper you can refer to the book "Elements of the Scientific Paper" by Michael J. Katz, on reserve in the Life Science Library. IMPORTANT: For everyday your paper is late, a half a letter grade will be deducted. DEADLINES: Week 4 Parallel test must be finished. Week 9 All observations due on computer disk. Week 10 Data analysis will be returned. Week 14 Papers due. LAB GRADING: 10% Parallel test 40% Data, Data entry, editing, verification 50% Lab paper EXAMPLE PAPER TOPICS Relationships between females of the same species and/or different species. Aggressive, affiliative, etc. Relationships between males of the same species and/or different species. Aggressive, affiliative, etc. Kin relationships and female and/or male behavior. Dominance rank, kinship and the formation of alliances or cooperation. Benefits and costs of high rank. Altruism and reciprocity. Kin selection. Kin recognition. Interactions between mothers and offspring. Interactions between siblings. Allomaternal care. Relationships between males and infants and/or juveniles. Play. Who plays with who, function of play, etc. Juvenile interactions. Grooming. Evolution, function, benefits, etc. Effects of the social system on male-male intergroup relationships. Female dominance. Function of dominance for females. Male dominance. Function of dominance for males. Incest avoidance. Sex differences in aggression. Overdorff's Syllabus: COURSE DESCRIPTION AND GOALS This course is designed to give students a basic introduction to primate behavior by exploring various aspects of behavior: Social structure, communication, affiliative interactions, conflict and aggression, dominance, parenting styles, and mating styles. Students will learn what it is like to be a primate living in a social group from a variety of different non-human primate species' perspectives. In addition, students will also learn how to think about how an animal's sex and age influence their social role. The aim of this course is to provide basic information in a descriptive format. However, at the beginning of the class several lectures are presented on how we (anthropologists/biologists) interpret behavior from various theoretical perspectives (ultimate versus proximate). This includes providing a basic introduction to natural selection, sociobiology and alternative evolutionary perspectives. Consequently, discussion is encouraged on the possible meaning (to immediate individuals and in an evolutionary sense) of these behaviors as details are presented on each aspect of primate behavior listed above. To meet these goals, the class is divided up into three sections. Section I is an introduction to the primate Order with an emphasis on the similarities and differences in behavior (not morphology) between different family groups. The rest of section one focuses on how primatologists interpret social behavior and the details the theoretical tools used to help us understand the proximate (or immediate) causes of behavior and the ultimate (or evolutionary) reasons for the behavior. Section II deals with the elements that allow an animal to live successfully in a group. First students discuss why bother being social in the first place in addition to what are the advantages and disadvantages of different kinds of groups. Then we will discuss how primates manage to maintain status within their social groups through aggressive and affiliativ e interactions, and communication styles. Section III takes a life-history approach to a primate's social life. We will examine which strategies a primate uses and how a primates sex and age affect his/her social status from mating, infancy, juvenescence to old age. How different social groups affect each of these stages in a primate's life will also be discussed. GRADING The format of each exam may vary, but will usually include definitions, fill-in- the blank, multiple choice questions, and short essays. Paper 40% Exam #1 20% Exam #2 20% Exam #3 20% The following guidelines are used to assign final grades: 90-100 A 80-89 B 70-79 C 60-69 D 59 or less F Regrading policy: When tests or lab homework are handed back, you have one week to appeal your grade with the professor or TA. Exams are NOT cumulative- they will only cover new material presented since the previous exam SUMMARY OF IMPORTANT DEADLINES THIS SEMESTER October 2- Exam #1 November 1- Exam # 2 (not cumulative) November 22- Laboratory Paper due in class December 6- Exam #3 (not cumulative) TEXTS 1) Jolly, A (1985) Evolution of Primate Behavior 2nd edition, Macmillan Press. 2) Bramblett, C (1994) Patterns of Primate Behavior 2nd edition, Waveland Press. 3) SOURCEBOOK, a reader available at ABEL'S COPIES, 1906 Guadalupe St. 4) Lab Manual- this book is also available at ABEL'S COPIES, 1906 Guadalupe St. and will have the syllabus included as well. SYLLABUS AND READING ASSIGNMENTS TOPIC Readings from Sourcebook by Author Aug 30- Introductory lecture Bramblett-Ch1 Sep 6- Primates I- Introduction to Primate Order - Prosimians and New World Primates Jolly-Ch1 & Bramblett-Ch3 Sep 11- Primates II- New World and Old World Monkeys Sep 13- Primates III- Apes and Humans Sep 18- Evolution of Behavior I: Nature versus Nurture Jolly-Ch9 Sep 20- Evolution of Behavior II: From Natural Selection to Sociobiology Wrangham, 1987 Sep 25 - Evolution of Behavior III: The Sociobiological Revolt Richard & Schulman, 1982 Sep 27- Living in Groups I: Types of Groups Jolly-Ch6 Oct 2- EXAM # 1 Oct 4- Living in Groups II: Group strategies Oct 9- Living in Groups III: Why Bother? Jolly-Ch7 pp. 173-177 Oct 11- Who lives in a group? Jolly-Ch15 Oct 16- Affiliative/ Aggressive behaviors I- Social means to a social end Jolly-CH12 Bramblett-pp75-82 Walters and Seyfarth, 1987 Oct 18 - Affiliative/ Aggressive behaviors II- Dominance hierarchies Richard, 1987 Oct 23- Affiliative/Aggressive behaviors III - Conflict resolution Oct 25- Communication I: How do you do it effectively? Jolly-CH10 B-pp.35-62 Zeller, 1987 Oct 30- Communication II: How do you do it effectively? Nov 1- EXAM #2 Nov 6- Mating Behavior I: Strategies Jolly-CH13 Bramblett-pp.63-75 Nov 13- Mating Behavior II: Male and Female choices SMUTS, 1987 Nov 15- Infants I: Parental Care and Not so Parental Care (Infanticide) Jolly-CH14 pp.327-332 pp.259-263 Hrdy, 1991 Nov 20- Infants III: Play behavior Jolly CH19 Nov 22- Juveniles I: the agonies of adolescence Jolly-pp.333-338 **PAPER DUE IN CLASS Nov-27- Juveniles II: the agonies of adolescence Packer and Pusey, 1987 Nov 29 - Primate Careers and Life History: Growing Old Jolly-CH4 pp.339-340 Bramblett-pp.181-185 Dec 4- Life History Case Study : Eulemur fulvus rufus in Madagascar Dec 6- EXAM # 3 Bramblett's Syllabus: Part I reviews the class assignments, briefly discusses what it means to be a primate, and gives background information about the group being studied in the laboratory. Part II is an introduction to principles of ecology and the prominent features of primate habitats. Part III surveys the major issues in primate biology by subject area. All of the readings should be completed by the end of this section. Students should reread materials as needed when reviewing subsequent topics. Part IV reviews these issues from an organismal perspective. Topic Readings I. INTRODUCTION 1 Introduction to class activities Read all of Bramblett 2 Quick Survey of the primates Ch.1 of Jolly 3 History of the Austin Guenons 4 Film: Ecology and Behavior of Vervet Monkeys (Struhsaker) II. ECOLOGY 5 Foundation Stones of Ecology Ch. 2 of Jolly 6 Rain Forests Ch. 3 of Jolly 7 Carrying capacity & Diseases Ch. 4,5 of Jolly 8 Socioecology Ch. 6,7,8 of Jolly Quiz 1 (All of Bramblett, 1-8 of Jolly) III. BEHAVIORAL MECHANISMS 9 Deprivation & Learning Ch. 9,19 of Jolly (10 min of video from Harlow's lab) 10 Communication Ch. 10 of Jolly 11 Cognition Ch. 16,17,18 of Jolly 12 Talking Apes Ch. 20 of Jolly (Brief video segments of Washoe, Koko, & Kanzi) 13 Reproduction Ch. 11,13,14,15 of Jolly 14 Aggression Ch. 12 of Jolly 15 Society and sociobiology Quiz 2 (All of Bramblett and Jolly) IV. SURVEY OF PRIMATES (a few example species) 16 Prosimians (5 minutes of video on aye-aye) 17 New World Monkeys (brief video clips of howler, capuchin, and squirrel monkeys) 18 Guenons 19 Baboons (5 min video on Papio) 20 Macaques 21 Colobines 22 Orang/Gibbons 23 Gorillas (video of Fossey & gorillas, 5 min clip from Gorillas in the Mist) 24 Chimpanzees (brief video from Gombe, 5 min clip from Tarzan movie) 25 Review & course evaluations Quiz 3 (9:00 A.M.) (All of Bramblett and Jolly) REQUIRED TEXTS: Bramblett, C.1994 Patterns of Primate Behavior. Waveland Press Inc. Jolly, A. 1985 The Evolution of Primate Behavior. Macmillan Publishing Co Optional Text: Fedigan, L. 1992 Primate Paradigms. Chicago. A required laboratory manual is available from Abel's Copies at 1906 Guadeloupe St. Grades will be computed in this manner: Grade = (lecture average + lab average)/2 Lecture average is based upon an average of Quizzes 1 2 & 3. All quizzes are cumulative in coverage.
URL: http://www.primate.wisc.edu/pin/syllabi/bramblett.html
Page last modified:
February 19, 2002
Maintained by the WPRC Library