| Chapter 1: | Introduction |
Problems in Deciphering Primate Behaviors
When describing the behavior of various primates, we follow the lead of researchers. They have observed what individual monkeys or apes are doing, and it is they who determine what the behavior means. For example, confusion could arise because (a) a male that cares for an infant can be said to do so either because he is related to the youngster or because he is kind, (b) a male baboon playing with an infant can be said to be just an amiable character or someone acting to prevent infanticide, or (c) a male gorilla displaying toward females in his group can be said to be showing them how appealing he is or coercing them to have sex with him in the future (Robbins, 2009). Similarly, if a male supports a relative, it can be said he is doing so because they share large parts of their DNA. If he does so with an unrelated animal, it can be said he is doing this to gain an advantage. But perhaps he is simply friendly with another male because he likes and gets along with him.
Evolutionary biologists agree that stereotypic behaviors do not evolve by accident: They are there for a reason, and the reason involves the species’ ability to survive, prosper, and propagate. But interpreting the adaptive significance of behavior is fraught with uncertainty and inevitably colored by the prevailing theoretical framework of the day. There are different explanations in evolutionary as opposed to proximate time, and these are often confused or ignored.
There is no “right” behavior in evolutionary terms. Each species evolves and adapts its behaviors as necessary within the constraints of its own biology and its environment. If the environment changes, or if part of the population moves outside the species’ core range into a novel habitat, new behaviors may be needed, and the individuals that adapt best will pass on their genes more than others do. This is what drives speciation and provides the tremendous diversity not only of species but of variety within a species. The human ability to develop a diversity of cultures, pass them on to new generations, and adapt them rapidly to changing circumstances must be seen as a feature of biology that contributed to humans’ success.