Joan-- I'm quite aware of Roger Fouts and Washoe (I used to use a movie (remember them?;-) featuring them in my Learning class). The question here is whether in fact the chimps were exhibiting some analog of parenting behavior. Not enough is presented about the context of the behavior to characterize its function, as opposed to its topography. The authors were inferring that the chimps' behavior was controlled by the same circumstances as would have controlled their behavior had they (the authors) been exhibiting it. At this point, I'd call it an interesting speculation).
Paul Brandon Emeritus Professor of Psychology Minnesota State University, Mankato [email protected] On Dec 21, 2010, at 5:19 PM, Joan Warmbold wrote: > Fascinating article and thanks so much Beth. And a lot of projection you say > Paul? Please, please read the book, _Next of Kin_ by Roger Fouts in which he > describes his work with Washoe on sign language. Chimps are extremely bright > animals and are as capable of learning through observing and imitation as we > are. This book also is an extremely good read, as Fouts, though a scientist > first and foremost, is also amusing, insightful and compassionate. It was > only after reading this terrific book that I began to understand the animal > rights movement. > > Relative to the article in Current Biology, I was baffled at the authors > hypothesis that these behavior patterns seen more in female chimps versus > male chimps could be "evidence" for the biological gender-derived behaviors, > well except for the obvious reason of the journal that published it. I am > increasingly concerned that we are dividing into camps of nurture versus > nature again as opposed to the more accurate, nurture and nature. Clearly, > these behaviors could be explained using Bandura's research on observational > learning that reveals that we are more likely to imitate those with whom we > more highly identify. And, usually, this results in boys imitating their > fathers and girls imitating their mothers, yes with significant exceptions > but, as per that cliche, the exceptions prove the rule. The majority of girls > imitate women role models--at home, on TV and in books while and the majority > of boys imitate male role models. > Joan > > Paul Brandon wrote: >> >> >> On Dec 21, 2010, at 7:10 AM, Beth Benoit wrote: >> >>> An article in /Current Biology/ describes how young chimps appear to carry >>> sticks in the same way human little girls carry dolls around. This is more >>> than twice as likely to be seen in female chimps. I loved the image of the >>> chimps even playing the "airplane" game: "lying on their backs and lifting >>> the stick in the air, much as human parents entertain their youngsters." --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=7427 or send a blank email to leave-7427-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
