Culture is a society’s shared and socially transmitted ideas and characteristics used to generate behavior and reflect behavior and other primates besides humans, like gorillas, chimps, and orangutans do, in fact, have culture. Chimps copy each other into adulthood developing cultural behaviors by imitating their peers and research on gorillas, chimps and orangutans have shown they use tools, communicate with each other and even mourn the deaths of each other. This research paper will explain how and why chimps do things like, imitate each other, mourn the deaths of their peers, communicate with each other and with humans, and create and use tools.
Chimps verbally communicate with each other with a series of different calls. They use alarm calls, mating calls, and greeting vocalizations (“About Chimpanzees,” n.d.). Researchers have identified more than 30 different calls and they can be heard up to 2 miles away (“About Chimpanzees,” n.d.). Each chimp has his or her own distinctive pant or hoot, so the caller can be identified (“About Chimpanzees,” n.d.).
Chimps also communicate with one another by using gestures since it is physically impossible for them to communicate by talking. According to Gill (2014), “They say wild chimps communicate 19 specific messages to one another with a “lexicon” of 66 gestures.” Scientists discovered this by following and filming communities of chimps in Uganda, and examining more than 5,000 cases of these meaningful exchanges (Gill, 2014). Chimps are believed to be the only animals in the animal kingdom to show a form of intentional communication and to have a system of communication where they deliberately send a message to another individual (Gill, 2014). Chimps use these gestures to show other chimps where to groom them, to climb on one’s back, and even gestures to flirt with one another (Gill, 2014). One chimp by the name of Washoe even learned the aspects of a human language. Like many other chimps in captivity, Washoe was taken from the wild after her mother was killed (NhRP, 2012). …show more content…
In captivity, Washoe was on the block to be auctioned off for biomedical research, but instead ended up with Drs. Allen and Beatrix Gardner, researchers from the University of Nevada (NhRP, 2012). These researchers “cross-fostered” Washoe meaning they raised her like a human child (NhRP, 2012). Because of this, Washoe adapted to human culture and was soon able to brush her teeth, dress herself, and play games (NhRP, 2012). More eminently, Washoe learned to speak human words (NhRP, 2012). By reason of chimpanzees having vocal cords that aren’t built for talking, researchers taught Washoe American Sign Language (ASL). By using her hands to speak, Washoe was the first to demonstrate that chimps can utilize aspects of what we call “language” (NhRP, 2012). More than just being able to mimic words, Washoe appeared to apply her words. Washoe was able to sign “water” and “bird” upon seeing a swan (NhRP, 2012). Washoe also shared what she learned, according to NhRP (2012), “Washoe even became a teacher – she taught some 50 ASL signs to her adopted son, Loulis, without any assistance or cuing from researchers.” Washoe also had a touching connection with a researcher who went on leave when she had a miscarriage. NhRP’s (2012) study found the following: One of the most touching stories about Washoe involved a researcher who went on leave for several weeks after having a miscarriage. Washoe was visibly upset with the researcher when she finally returned. Washoe didn’t like having her routine messed with! To explain her absence, the researcher signed to Washoe the words “MY BABY DIED.” Washoe looked down for a moment, then looked the researcher in the eyes and slowly ran a finger from her eye down her cheek – the ASL sign for “CRY.” Not wanting the researcher to leave, Washoe signed “PLEASE PERSON HUG.” Washoe lost two children of her own to early deaths. For all of her indications of language, compassion, and sympathy, Washoe was not unique. She was rather a founder. Many nonhuman primates after her have been taught many more words and have formed more complex expressions (NhRP, 2012). What Washoe teaches us is that
Chimps verbally communicate with each other with a series of different calls. They use alarm calls, mating calls, and greeting vocalizations (“About Chimpanzees,” n.d.). Researchers have identified more than 30 different calls and they can be heard up to 2 miles away (“About Chimpanzees,” n.d.). Each chimp has his or her own distinctive pant or hoot, so the caller can be identified (“About Chimpanzees,” n.d.).
Chimps also communicate with one another by using gestures since it is physically impossible for them to communicate by talking. According to Gill (2014), “They say wild chimps communicate 19 specific messages to one another with a “lexicon” of 66 gestures.” Scientists discovered this by following and filming communities of chimps in Uganda, and examining more than 5,000 cases of these meaningful exchanges (Gill, 2014). Chimps are believed to be the only animals in the animal kingdom to show a form of intentional communication and to have a system of communication where they deliberately send a message to another individual (Gill, 2014). Chimps use these gestures to show other chimps where to groom them, to climb on one’s back, and even gestures to flirt with one another (Gill, 2014). One chimp by the name of Washoe even learned the aspects of a human language. Like many other chimps in captivity, Washoe was taken from the wild after her mother was killed (NhRP, 2012). …show more content…
In captivity, Washoe was on the block to be auctioned off for biomedical research, but instead ended up with Drs. Allen and Beatrix Gardner, researchers from the University of Nevada (NhRP, 2012). These researchers “cross-fostered” Washoe meaning they raised her like a human child (NhRP, 2012). Because of this, Washoe adapted to human culture and was soon able to brush her teeth, dress herself, and play games (NhRP, 2012). More eminently, Washoe learned to speak human words (NhRP, 2012). By reason of chimpanzees having vocal cords that aren’t built for talking, researchers taught Washoe American Sign Language (ASL). By using her hands to speak, Washoe was the first to demonstrate that chimps can utilize aspects of what we call “language” (NhRP, 2012). More than just being able to mimic words, Washoe appeared to apply her words. Washoe was able to sign “water” and “bird” upon seeing a swan (NhRP, 2012). Washoe also shared what she learned, according to NhRP (2012), “Washoe even became a teacher – she taught some 50 ASL signs to her adopted son, Loulis, without any assistance or cuing from researchers.” Washoe also had a touching connection with a researcher who went on leave when she had a miscarriage. NhRP’s (2012) study found the following: One of the most touching stories about Washoe involved a researcher who went on leave for several weeks after having a miscarriage. Washoe was visibly upset with the researcher when she finally returned. Washoe didn’t like having her routine messed with! To explain her absence, the researcher signed to Washoe the words “MY BABY DIED.” Washoe looked down for a moment, then looked the researcher in the eyes and slowly ran a finger from her eye down her cheek – the ASL sign for “CRY.” Not wanting the researcher to leave, Washoe signed “PLEASE PERSON HUG.” Washoe lost two children of her own to early deaths. For all of her indications of language, compassion, and sympathy, Washoe was not unique. She was rather a founder. Many nonhuman primates after her have been taught many more words and have formed more complex expressions (NhRP, 2012). What Washoe teaches us is that