ANTHR101 Chapter Notes - Chapter 4: Simian, Catarrhini, Depth Perception
3 Mar 2016
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Required reading for lecture 8 // january 25 2016. Chapter 4: what can the study of primates tell us. Many observers assume that since we share physical attributes with primates, that the primates share our mental capacities of feeling and emotions as well; this is an example of anthropomorphism. Anthropomorphism: the attribution of human characteristics to non-human animals. When looking at and studying non-human primates, we must be aware of how our own human interests and bias distort our perspective. Human dna is the closest match when compared to chimpanzees. Primatologists use taxonomy to classify primates; grouping organisms together based on morphological traits, behavioral traits, and geographic locations. Linnaeus arranged the group into a hierarchy based on seven levels that are kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species. A generic name that is always capitalized that refers to the genus in which the species is classified. The taxonomy recognized by modern biologists is an inclusive hierarchy.
