Anthropology Research Paper on Primatology

In anthropology, primatology is the study of the primate, the order of the ancestors of mammals, other than the recent species of human beings, the Homo Sapiens. Primatology is also considered as the study of human beings' non-human ancestors, through this study, anthropologists are able to create a better understanding about the similarities between the primates and the human beings, the study is also crucial in understanding the path of human evolution. The primate species are majorly characterized with their distinctive features, especially the advanced binocular vision, the grasping appendages became specialized and the cerebral hemispheres became enlarged. The non-human primates provide a wide framework through which the physical anthropologists can apply in studying the different aspects of the conditions of the human beings and their careers. Primatology is a diverse branch of anthropology, by developing an understanding of this branch, physical anthropologists are also able to comprehend the comparative morphological studies which allow for biomechanical analyses on evolution to be conducted. The analyses provide critical clues about the evolutionary theory and the functional significance of the muscular and the skeletal complexes which are synonymous with the bipedalism of human beings. Other crucial clues which are provided by the analysis of the primatology morphological studies include; the dexterous hands or the skills which the human beings possess, the formation of the head of the evolved human beings, the formation of the nose of the human beings, and the nature of the jaws of human beings which are considered to be weaker and smaller as compared to those of the primate ancestors. The analysis of the primates also shows the different adaptations which the primates had that allowed them to adapt to live on trees and also on the ground. These characteristics can be seen in their proportions of the limbs and the development of muscles which was relative.

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Primates which are free-ranging display particular behavioral and physical adaptations to different fundamental ways of life. Some of the characteristics of the primates are similar to the adaptations of the human beings to life during the Miocene and earlier Pleistocene periods. According to studies, it has been noted that the earlier field and laboratory tests and observations which were conducted hugely underestimated the cognitive skills, the intelligence abilities and the sensibilities of the great apes. It has also been indicated that the abilities of the early Pleistocene and Pliocene hominins had significantly been underestimated. The Pleistocene and Pliocene were earlier human being species who lived in the about 5.3 to 3 million years ago, however, there are very few archeological clues about these earlier human beings which have been found that can be used to study their behavior and characteristics. As a scientific discipline, primatology has different methodological and theoretical approaches which have been used in the research of the primates which are extant and their ancestors who have become extinct. The core centers of primatology, these are the Japanese primatology and the western primatology. These two different centers originate from their different philosophies and cultural backgrounds. Although these two centers share a lot of common principles, there areas of focus in the research and study of primates and the methods which they use to obtain data for the studies vary widely.

The western primatology originated from primarily the research of European and North American scientists. Initially, there studies primarily focused on medical studies, although some of the researchers focused on providing data that could be used in civilizing experiments for the chimpanzees, the main aim of the experiments was to gauge both the brain power and intelligence of the primates. The theory that is used in the study of the western primatology is by looking at the psychological and biological aspects of the primates which are non-human. The core aim is to find the link which exists between the primates and the human beings, the researchers conducting the western primatology studies hold the belief that if there is an understanding about the relationship between the primates and human beings, the nature which was shared between the humans and their ancestors can be understood. The western primatology considers the concept of primatology as a science, this means that the scientific observations which are made under this study have be controlled or limited. However, the researchers need to be neutral to all the subjects which are being studied. Because of this, the data which is obtained from the research is usually unbiased and the human influence does not interfere with the data.

The approaches which are used in the study include: Field study, this is a more realistic method. The field study is usually done in an environment which is natural, the scientific researchers in this case watch the primates in the natural habitat where the primates live. There is also the laboratory study which is extremely restricted and controlled. In the setting of the laboratory, the researchers are able to conduct a controlled experiment, this way they can be able to understand the behavioral patterns and the learning capabilities of the primates. The semi-free ranging approach is used in the habitat of the primates and in the wild and the social structures, this method is usually replicated in a setting which is captivating. Under these semi-free ranging studies, the researchers are able to understand and view the way the animals act in their natural habitat in the wild and also have an easier access to the primates. The scientists are also able to control the environment in which the animals are in. The different types of studies which are conducted under the western primatology are aimed at ensuring that the studies are neutral and that there is no interference from the human influences. The studies are more subjective even though the main aim is to make the data available in an objective manner. In the western primatology, the studies are also focused on individual researchers and the different discoveries that they make.

The Japanese primatology is focused on the ecology of the animals. The Japanese primatology first focused on horses before the focus was later changed to the study and understanding of the behavior of the primates. The theory which is used in this discipline mostly emphasizes more on the social aspects of the primates. The main aim of conducting studies under the Japanese is to understand the processes of social evolution and also the various aspects of anthropology. The researchers who use this approach believe that the use of this theory will help more in understanding the duality of the human beings and also provide insight about the social self and the individual self. According to the Japanese cultural believes, animals need to be respect in all aspects, however, they should also be treated with firm authority. This does not mean that the studies which are conducted under the Japanese primatology are cruel to animals, they only do not feel that the animals which are used as subjects in the study should be given any form of reverential treatment. Under this research method, the researchers need to determine the relationship which exists between the animals and the human beings.

The Japanese primatology is considered as a subjective science which is more and carefully disciplined as compared to other forms of study. According to the method which is used in this study, the best way of collecting data which is used in the study is through the identification of the researcher and the subject which is under study. Neutrality in the study is achieved under an environment which is more casual, the researcher and the subject which is being studied can be able to mingle in a free manner. This is necessary for the study as it allows the researcher to understand the subject which is being studied more precisely. Under this form of study, the research findings of a team are emphasized more as compared to the research information which is collected by an individual researcher. They consider the study of primates to be a team effort as compared to being an individual effort. The team also need to observe the team for a long time before making a conclusive.