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Chapter 6: Primate Behavior and Ecology
The Human Species: An Introduction to Biological Anthropology, John H. Relethford
24
Anthropology
Undergraduate 1
10/03/2012

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Term
Home Range
Definition
The size of the geographic area that is normally occupied and used by a social group.
Term
Behavioral Ecology
Definition
The study of behavior that focuses on the adaptive value of behavior from an ecological and evolutionary perspective.
Term
Strategy
Definition
A behavior that has been favored by natural selection and that increases an individual's fitness.
Term
Life History Theory
Definition
The study of how characteristics of an organism's life cycle affects reproduction, focusing on trade-offs between energy expended for numbers and fitness of offspring.
Term
Parental Investment
Definition
Parental behaviors that increase the probability that offspring will survive.
Term
Monogamy
Definition
An exclusive sexual bond between an adult male and an adult female for a long period of time.
Term
Polygamy
Definition
A sexual bond between an adult male and an adult female in which either individual may have more than one mate at the same time.
Term
Alloparent
Definition
An individual that cares for an infant but is not a biological parent.
Term
One-Male/One-Female Group
Definition
A social structure in which the primary social group consists of a single adult male, a single adult female, and their immature offspring.
Term
One-Male/Multifemale Group
Definition
A social structure in which the primary social group consists of a single adult male, several adult females, and their immature offspring.
Term
One-Female/Multimale group
Definition
A social structure in which the primary social structure consists of a single adult female, several adult males, and their immature offspring.
Term
Multimale/Multifemale Group
Definition
The most common type of social group in nonhuman primates, consisting of several adult males, several adult females, and their immature offspring.
Term
Affiliative
Definition
Friendly behaviors that promote social bonds.
Term
Agonistic
Definition
Unfriendly social relationships.
Term
Grooming
Definition
The handling and cleaning of another individual's fur.  In primates, grooming serves as a form of communication and provides reassurance.
Term
Kin Selection
Definition
The concept that altruistic behavior can be selected for if it increases the probability of survival of close relatives.
Term
Reciprocal Altruism
Definition
The concept that altruistic behaviors will be directed toward nonkin if they increase the probability that the recipient will reciprocate at some future time.
Term
Dominance Hierarchy
Definition
The ranking system within a society that indicates which individuals are dominant in social behaviors.
Term
Sexual Dimorphism
Definition
The average difference in body size between adult males and adult females.
Term
Territory
Definition
A home range that is actively defended.
Term
Savanna
Definition
An environment consisting of open grasslands in which food resources tend to be spread out over large areas.
Term
Brachiation
Definition
A method of movement that uses the arms to swing from branch to branch.
Term
Knuckle Walking
Definition
A form of movement used by gorillas, chimpanzees, and bonobos that is characterized by all four limbs touching the ground, with the weight of the arms resting on the knuckles of the hands.
Term
Fission-Fusion
Definition
A primate society in which the population splits into smaller subgroups at times (fission) and then later reunites (fusion).  The process is affected by the distribution of food resources.
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