Monkey Behavior and social interaction
- Brian Bentley
- Mar 30, 2015
- 4 min read
Monkey Behavior and social interaction
Brian Lynn Bentley
Introductory Sociology
Colorado Technical University
3/22/2015
Abstract
Observing the behavior of brown capuchin monkeys whose proper scientific name is Cebus apella and common squirrel monkeys Scientific Name is Saimiri sciureus. To discover how they interact and communicate with one another. How is their behavior similar to human behavior? What we have gleaned from this observation and why humans are social animals. And finally we come to our opinions on this type of observational research and methodology is it effective and useful.
Squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus): small arboreal (which means lives in trees), monkeys of the genus Saimiri of Central and South American tropical forests, having a white face with a black nose and mouth, short fur, and a long nonprehensile which means the tail doesn't grasp tail. (American Heritage Dictionary)
Capuchin (Cebus apella) any agile intelligent New World monkey of the genus Cebus, which lives in the forests of South America, typically having a cowl of hair on the top of the head that resembles a head covering and is named after.(Collins English Dictionary)
Rhesus Monkey Macaca mulatta, A small, yellowish-brown monkey of India, widely used in biological and medical research. The Rh (Rhesus) factor as first discovered in rhesus monkeys. (Collins English Dictionary)
Prehensile tail, a tail that can grasp as found in some monkeys the opposite of a prehensile tail is a non-prehensile tail that cannot grasp objects such as in a cat. Prehensile: meaning able to grasp. (Collins English Dictionary)
“Fact: A group of monkeys is called a troop or a barrel.” (Common Questions, 2015)
Having observed the interaction of the monkeys in the video that takes place; First observation is they are quite social and communicative. They are extremely curious and creative. Observing Popeye and the others trying to get straw and other treats other of the boxes the zoo keepers, Popeye is obviously the dominant one by the way others react around him. The alpha male capuchin “Popeye” is respected and possibly feared by those in his own troop as well as the other troop of monkeys of the species the squirrel monkeys. (LivingLinksCentre.)
Watching the video closer I chose to focus in on the Popeye (you tube, 2015) and his female with what is possibly his child clutching to her back. We shall call her Beth and Sam. Watching closely you can see Beth the female monkey as indicated by the small child monkey named Sam on her back, communicating with and following Popeye around the compound very closely. You can see the female monkey much like the human is very close to her kid for the early stages of life the child Sam is very dependent on his mother for protection as well as food. This mirrors Human infants need for close attention during the very early stages of infancy through adulthood. Which is backed up by the Harlow monkey experiments with the rhesus monkeys (Harlow, 1959), the monkey like humans also form groups for not only defense but mutual goals, such as to get what is inside the boxes. From this observation it is possible to conclude that the similarities of monkeys to humans are uncanny. Their need for social interaction the same as humans is to meet common goals that may be hard or impossible to attain individually. Also the need for social interaction is to raise children to share duties and teach the child to survive when they come of age. They need social interaction to prevent stress where in the wild they have predators and competing troops of other alpha males and troops.
Using this type of research and methodology is very interesting when there is a task at hand such as looking for cause or a similarity. Recording the events makes it a lot easier to observe, repeat pause, and document as well. This type of research of observing behaver requires a detailed and careful eye to examine all the surroundings and the interaction of the "Main character" and “Main characters” which in this case is Popeye and I chose to observe two others Beth and Sam. I had watched the ten minute version several times as well as the 15 minute version several times over. Every time I discovered new details and things I have not noticed before I am sure if I watch this or observe them in public I would even learn more new things about the entire family and community. The similarity to be concludes are both humans and monkeys needing the social interaction for safety child rearing and sharing common goals and accomplishing needs.
References
Squirrel monkeys. (n.d.) American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. (2011). Retrieved March 22 2015 from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/squirrel+monkeys
LivingLinksCentre. (2010, July 31). Student resource - 10 minute animal behaviour sampling video [Video]. Retrieved from the You Tube Web site: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_AL93uqIow
Brown capuchin. (n.d.) Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged. (1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003). Retrieved March 22 2015 from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/brown+capuchin
Common Questions: What Do You Call a Group of...? (n.d.). Retrieved March 22, 2015, from http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/about/faqs/animals/names.htm
Endangered Wildlife: Squirrel Monkey. (n.d.). Retrieved March 22, 2015, from http://www.edu.pe.ca/southernkings/sqmonkey.htm
Adoption History: Harry Harlow, Monkey Love Experiments. (n.d.). Retrieved March 22, 2015, from http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~adoption/studies/HarlowMLE.htm
Rhesus monkey. (n.d.) Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged. (1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003). Retrieved March 22 2015 from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/rhesus+monkey
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