Humans, apes, and selected monkeys are the primates of concern, and among this array patterns and degrees of social behavior vary greatly. Lectures present a general introduction to behavior and its ecological context, the interaction of biology and behavior from an evolutionary perspective, and an examination of the roots of modern human behavior.

This course uses primates as a lens through which to explore the science of social behavior. We will cover the major theoretical and methodological tools that help us understand the social lives of other animals, and ask how those same tools can enrich our understanding of human lives as well. How, for example, does the interplay of social dominance and social influence complicate our notions of “power”? What can the diversity of primate sexual behavior teach us about sexual expression in humans? And what might we learn by comparing primate communication with human language?

Repeat Rules

Course is not repeatable for credit.

Requirements class fulfills