Primate Intelligence

Paper Summary:

This paper examines how it has long been recognized that primates are more cognitively advanced than other mammals and how that the degree of cognitive awareness and ability grows significantly from prosimians to humans. It looks at the debate of which parameters should be used to define and compare intelligence as well as the causal factors leading to this cognitive growth. It analyzes how studying today's population of primates can shed some light on cognitive evolution and how it can also provide additional information on what makes humans unique and what can be done to eliminate primate extinction and enhance human evolution.

From the Paper:

"New world monkeys spend most of their time in the treetops. Living at such heights, they feed almost entirely on leaves and fruit. There is ample food and few large predators, aside from larger snakes and some birds of prey. New world monkeys have not developed the complex communities and family groups found among old world monkeys and apes. Most species give birth to twins and live in groups of 4-20 individuals. Social structure varies from one male-one female to multi-male-multi-female groups, with usually only one breeding adult female at a time. Groups are territorial and defend their home range through calls, fur displays, scent marking and facial expressions (ibid)."

More papers on Primate Intelligence:

• Essay # 23583 : "Primate Intelligence"
• Comparison Essay # 134997 : "Pre-9/11 and Post-9/11 Intelligence Reform"
• Research Paper # 53326 : "Mammalian Social Structure and Cooperation"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: