Anthropology Essay Question

Saffron · Post by **Saffron** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 6:33 pm

Hello everyone, I just finished my 2nd exam in my physical anthro course. The take-home part of the exam is an essay question. Here it is; Discuss three examples of cultural behvior in nonhuman primates. Do you think it is justified to call these hehaviors culture? Explain why.

Galbally, feel free to answer.

Lulu2 · Post by **Lulu2** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 7:39 pm

Saffron, have you considered doing research and answering these questions yourself? It's quite easy to "google" and there are many examples of culture in non-human primates. Just a thought, of course.

valerie · Post by **valerie** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 7:41 pm

Lulu2 wrote: Saffron, have you considered doing research and answering these questions yourself? Just a thought, of course.

Amen to that, Lu.

This is just a tiny bit too much like doing someone's homework for

them.

And not getting paid, at that!

Lulu2 · Post by **Lulu2** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 7:51 pm

Not to mention the aspect of "cheating?"

valerie · Post by **valerie** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 7:57 pm

Lulu2 wrote: Not to mention the aspect of "cheating?"

Yup. Thassa big TEN-FOUR good buddy!!

;)

Lulu2 · Post by **Lulu2** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 7:58 pm

(I like you a LOT, Val!)

valerie · Post by **valerie** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 8:08 pm

Lulu2 wrote: (I like you a LOT, Val!)

:o

Ditto.

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 3:37 am

Gee! This behavior of insisting one takes responsibility for one's own homework ... is it cultural? Why or why not?

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 4:21 am

I was going to write a reply to this thread last night, but I agree with everyone that you should do the research yourself. We would love to see your essay when it is completed.

Carl44 · Post by **Carl44** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 4:24 am

Saffron wrote: Hello everyone, I just finished my 2nd exam in my physical anthro course. The take-home part of the exam is an essay question. Here it is; Discuss three examples of cultural behvior in nonhuman primates. Do you think it is justified to call these hehaviors culture? Explain why.

Galbally, feel free to answer.

saf old buddy if i was not thick as too planks i'd answer but seeing as i am it looks like you will have ta gooogle it

koan · Post by **koan** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 5:59 am

take just "cultural behaviour in nonhuman primates", put in a google search and you get:

results

Post by **spot** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 11:09 am

If you've been inhumanly treated in this thread by primates exhibiting a culturally-conditioned response toward doing homework without assistance, that almost qualifies as another example. Almost. Not quite, on reflection.

I wonder whether mutual grooming qualifes as culturally conditioned? Presumably if every member of a primate species does a thing then it's not a learned response. Pay me no attention, Saffron, I know nothing about it.

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 11:20 am

[QUOTE=Saffron]Hello everyone, I just finished my 2nd exam in my physical anthro course. The take-home part of the exam is an essay question. Here it is; Discuss three examples of cultural behvior in nonhuman primates. Do you think it is justified to call these hehaviors culture? Explain why.

Galbally, feel free to answer. QUOTE]

I will try and think of something useful Saffron, I've just come in from work, so my brain is a bit tired, but thanks for asking, I'm happy to try.

Lulu2 · Post by **Lulu2** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 7:34 pm

How kind of you to do her work for her, Galbally! I don't suppose anyone did your work for you? Back when you were in school? Did you get a degree based on someone elses' work?

anastrophe · Post by **anastrophe** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 8:25 pm

The Tarsier, found on Borneo, is known to horde the fruit of the native dipterocarp trees - however, they share the fruit amongst the members of the entire nomadic group, rather than hording it specifically for their own family members. Each individual hordes their own stock - but once the fruit is ripe, it is shared with all members equally. This exhibits cooperative survival methods, and requires skill at tending the unripe fruit.

Among the Pygmy Marmosets of the Brazilian rainforests, certain individuals - typically pre-adolescent males - are tasked with creating a perimeter around the the area that the adult Marmosets forage. When a threat approaches, rather than screeching as is common amongst most new world monkeys, the tasked individuals will throw small stones towards the foraging adults, which warn them of the approaching threat, so they may retreat into the trees. This exhibits both use of tools as well as coordinated, non-verbal communication.

The Gibbons of Malaysia are known to wrap and knot the leaves of the native Pheasantwood tree into long loops, and affix the flowers of the pinewood hibiscus to the loops. these loops are then worn, after a fashion, by the females of the clan during mating rituals, which is clearly synonymous with human primate mating rituals such as homecoming dance, the prom, etc.

hope this helps.

Lulu2 · Post by **Lulu2** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 8:40 pm

Anastrophe, you DO understand thast this is my field?

Thanks for posting some interesting hints. Anyone who studies any field should understand that it's all about learning for oneself---not copying anyone else's work!

If anyone's interested, I have some marvelous examples of culture in Crested Capuchins....

Post by **spot** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 12:11 am

Lulu2 wrote: Thanks for posting some interesting hints. Anyone who studies any field should understand that it's all about learning for oneself---not copying anyone else's work!Lulu, you have me puzzled at this point. There are two ways of finding out about a subject. One can observe, hypothesise, experiment and publish, or one can look up someone else's observations, hypotheses, experminents and publications. If Saffron's supposed to do the latter, and I presume she is, in what way is asking here any different to googling? Here she gets a chance to discuss it instead of merely paraphrase what she finds. To be honest, I find the entire notion of "read up on X and write in your own words what you find out" to be the utter antithesis of education, but that seems to be the current cost-effective model in some parts of the world. My own preference is to observe, hypothesise, experiment and publish from the start, it may be slower but it gets children interested while learning to think.

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 3:23 am

spot wrote: Lulu, you have me puzzled at this point. There are two ways of finding out about a subject. One can observe, hypothesise, experiment and publish, or one can look up someone else's observations, hypotheses, experminents and publications. If Saffron's supposed to do the latter, and I presume she is, in what way is asking here any different to googling? Here she gets a chance to discuss it instead of merely paraphrase what she finds. To be honest, I find the entire notion of "read up on X and write in your own words what you find out" to be the utter antithesis of education, but that seems to be the current cost-effective model in some parts of the world. My own preference is to observe, hypothesise, experiment and publish from the start, it may be slower but it gets children interested while learning to think.Did you read the first post?

First, she's not a child.

Second, she's not interested in discussion, she wants an answer she can use to pass her test.

She wants a quick way out, presumably to free herself up to talk some more about how lazy Mexicans are.

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 4:21 am

Diuretic wrote: :wah: :wah: :wah::o sorry. Had a little impulse control problem for a mo'

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 4:36 am

Accountable wrote: Did you read the first post?

First, she's not a child.

Second, she's not interested in discussion, she wants an answer she can use to pass her test.

She wants a quick way out, presumably to free herself up to talk some more about how lazy Mexicans are.

That's not very nice, especially since my children are half Mexican American, or to use the PC term, Hispanic. I kept my Spanish name to this name, and have hyphenated my new married name.

I find that very offensive-are you saying Saffron makes comments like this? Or was this just a post you didn't think of first, and accidently wrote something so prejudice. I know that is not like you, AC.

I am truly upset today with this place............................

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 4:40 am

chonsigirl wrote: That's not very nice, especially since my children are half Mexican American, or to use the PC term, Hispanic. I kept my Spanish name to this name, and have hyphenated my new married name.

I find that very offensive-are you saying Saffron makes comments like this? Or was this just a post you didn't think of first, and accidently wrote something so prejudice. I know that is not like you, AC.

I am truly upset today with this place............................Saffron made the comments several times. You're right, Chonsi. This is not something I'd say.

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 4:45 am

I did not think so, I am sorry and send you huigs and kisses, when Mrs. AC is not looking.

Saffron, I am calling you out-is this true, have you said such prejudice things about a group of people?

Please leave me some links everyone, I will not stand for prejudice in any form here at FG. And I take this as a personal affront. I am really mad.

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 4:54 am

And comments like this on a thread, where Saffron, you are too lazy to do your own homework! Shame on you! Do your own research, how else do you expect to learn!

Post by **spot** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 5:40 am

SnoozeControl wrote: Maybe Spot would like to tutor her. :rolleyes:"Like to" is far short of "be able to" - I stepped back from the whole idea with "Pay me no attention, Saffron, I know nothing about it" in my first post. Where another's interest coincides with any small ability I might possess I'd be quite happy to tutor anyone.

Why's there no "I've been niggled at" emoticon?

RedGlitter · Post by **RedGlitter** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 5:40 am

Isn't this what PMs are for?!

Post by **spot** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 5:42 am

Diuretic wrote: "discovery learning" spot? I remember a film about an experiment by I think it was Meredith Belbin at Oxford , quite some years ago. He was teaching a man to play chess by allowing the man to discover for himself (by questioning Belbin) how each piece moves and then allowing him to discover strategy.The odd thing is that I've both read Meredith Belbin in the past and taught chess that way but never related him with it. If you have an idea of where the film came from I'd be interested in finding a copy.

Post by **spot** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 5:47 am

RedGlitter wrote: Isn't this what PMs are for?!

I dislike PMs in the context of responding to public posts, being an unreconstructed primitive poster in that regard (as in others), and I'd be uncomfortable if anyone thought I was ignoring her.

RedGlitter · Post by **RedGlitter** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 5:52 am

spot wrote: I dislike PMs in the context of responding to public posts, being an unreconstructed primitive poster in that regard (as in others), and I'd be uncomfortable if anyone thought I was ignoring her.

Oh no, Spot. I didn't mean you.

I was referring to publicly "calling out" a person one has an issue with. Sorry!

cherandbuster · Post by **cherandbuster** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 6:32 am

RedGlitter wrote: I was referring to publicly "calling out" a person one has an issue with. Sorry!

Hi Red

My feeling is:

If Saffron made these comments publicly as stated (and I have no reason at all to doubt Acc -- I've read them, too)

Then she deserves to be 'called out' publicly as well :-6

RedGlitter · Post by **RedGlitter** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 6:42 am

Morning Cher!

I saw the original comment too. I can understand why it is offensive to a lot of people and in this case, one person especially. It's not a fact though, it's someone's opinion. I just hate to see an argument come up on here when it's been so nice lately.

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 7:12 am

Making prejudice comments is not nice, and I addressed my reply to her on the other thread.

It cannot be nice, if a group of people are called bad things.

No, it is not a matter for PM's, if a prejudice comment is made on a public board. It is for public view.

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 7:50 am

RedGlitter wrote: Isn't this what PMs are for?!

Nope-Saffron asked for help with her homework on a public board, so in response she gets a public reply.

Just like you just got.

RedGlitter · Post by **RedGlitter** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 8:12 am

chonsigirl wrote: Nope-Saffron asked for help with her homework on a public board, so in response she gets a public reply.

Just like you just got.

:)

I'm glad you can respect everyone's right to hold their own opinions, Chonsi, even when you don't like them. I can appreciate that as I try to do the same.

ETA: Oops!

That didn't come out properly. I meant "even when you don't like their opinions." After posting, I realized it sounded like I meant people and not opinions.

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 8:39 am

Of course, Red. We may not always agree on a topic or issue, but we all remain friends.

RedGlitter · Post by **RedGlitter** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 9:02 am

Good deal.

sunny104 · Post by **sunny104** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 10:06 am

valerie wrote: Yup. Thassa big TEN-FOUR good buddy!!

;)
ahem.

just a friendly reminder from trucker Sunny:

Good Buddy - At one time it meant "Friend" or "buddy", today it means "Homosexual"

zinkyusa · Post by **zinkyusa** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 10:29 am

sunny104;440383 wrote: ahem.

just a friendly reminder from trucker Sunny:

Good Buddy - At one time it meant "Friend" or "buddy", today it means "Homosexual"

:yh_rotfl i did not know that trucker Sunny.

anastrophe · Post by **anastrophe** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 10:53 am

well, all this aside, i hope the information i provided for saffron is helpful.

Saffron · Post by **Saffron** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 12:31 pm

anastrophe;440397 wrote: well, all this aside, i hope the information i provided for saffron is helpful.
It was, I'll come back again and read the rest of the posts. Kinda busy with my other class projects and working. Thanks again.

Saffron · Post by **Saffron** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 12:47 pm

Accountable;440089 wrote: Did you read the first post?

First, she's not a child.

Second, she's not interested in discussion, she wants an answer she can use to pass her test.

She wants a quick way out, presumably to free herself up to talk some more about how lazy Mexicans are.

You know what? This isn't the generalization that I made. You are making the sweeping generalization that Mexicans are lazy. I never said they are all lazy, but the Mexicans (who happened to be here from Mexico recently) were lazy. And I had the unfortunate experience of seeing it with my own two eyes and ears.

I have many many friends who are Mexican. And none of them are as lazy as the ones who I was working with over the weekend. My Mexican friends who work hard, would be and are embarrassed by the lazy kind that migrate here, don't work, suck off our system and then say to us (me) that we are just mad at them for taking our jobs. When it just isn't true.:-5 Obviously it isn't this way at all, from what I saw over the weekend.

I don't know where you live, in what part of the States. But I live in south Calif. And this State is ruined because of them. They don't put anything back into the system. They don't pay their taxes. And they are scavengers. I may be only a person living in a homeless shelter, but I can still see with my own 2 eyes and I am not a bit stupid.:yh_eyebro

Anyway, isn't this in the wrong discussion or category?

Lulu2 · Post by **Lulu2** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 10:06 pm

And most of us would agree that it makes no sense (nor is it fair) for someone to provide the basis for someone else's essay.

Certainly anyone with enough time to "defend" a position of racial stereotypes has enough time to research their own assignment?

Or am I missing something?

Lulu2 · Post by **Lulu2** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 10:22 pm

Dear Major Problem....it's always fun to read what you write. It's original and well expressed.

Far too many people are willing to rationalize their general laziness and ineptitude when trying to get through a course just for a grade.

I had the misfortune of a subordinate who'd achieved a degree while working (paid for by our company.) After awhile, it became apparent that she couldn't even compose a basic paragraph. I sent her to some remedial business writing courses, but they did no good. One day, I asked her candidly how she'd gotten through her degree course. ("Who wrote your papers for you?") She rather proudly admitted that her boyfriend had written them. It never dawned on her that she'd cheated the company, me, and ultimately, herself.

Naturally, her expectation was that, having the degree, she was guaranteed a promotion.

She didn't get one. She might've been without scruples, but I was not and I refused to promote her.

What goes around.....etc.