Our Inner Ape

By: Frans de Waal

Apes in the family

• Social needs in humans

• Bonobo sensitivity to what others desire

• Saying hello and goodbye

• Facial recognition• Pointing as

communication

Great apes cladogram

Power

• Chimp politics- coalitions & teamwork

• Juggling act of dominance and keeping others happy

• Reproductive success priority

• Behavior changes when change in power

• Pecking order• Status rituals• Clearer the hierarchy,

less need reinforcement (bonobos, gorillas)

• Females work as a group

• Older females gain higher status

• Not the same for males

• Chimpanzee hierarchy constantly changes

• Its important to the remember the “little people” who got you where you are

Sex

• Tongue kiss= total trust (bonobos)

• Sex brings gene mixing• Why do humans have

sexual appetites that go beyond reproduction?

• Same sex relationships (not necessarily sexual), bonding

• Bonobos use sex to bond, calm, resolve, disputes

• Ensure male cooperation in raising young, provides optimal survival

• Humans’ nuclear family sets them apart from all other apes

• Desire to reproduce helps ensure success of species

• Concern for males of “true fatherhood”

• Testical size is correlation to competition between males for impregnation

Violence

• Chimps also carnivorous

• Work in groups to kill other males

• Human psychology power experiments

• Creation of the out-group, scapegoat

• Bonobos are sexual w/ other groups so no violence b/c that could be a relative

• Reconciliation is important

• Acquired social skill• Diff bt/wn male and

female fights

Kindness

• Being able to see another’s perspective

• Reciprocity towards family and community (also revenge)

• Empathy- being affected by the state of another

• Consolation among groups

• Bodily identification w/ others

• Avoid inflicting pain on others

• Offer assistance to those in need

• Gut level morality comes from instincts

• Diff bt/wn close relationships and distant

• Gratitude

• Resentment

• Fairness

• Conflict avoidance

Bipolar ape

• We are tolerant of others b/c we are social apes• Critical to group survival• Nature’s checks and balances• We have some of everything (moral, violence, coop,

selfishness)• Intelligent decision making