Summary from the article: I think this is a great article establishing some evolutionary connections for the importance of parent-offspring relations and ultimately play. We're just starting to...
Summary from the article:
When it comes to nurturing their young, mother chimpanzees go the extra mile, according to a new study. Using 10 years of observational data on wild chimpanzees, researchers found that while adults often play, and young chimps play a lot, when food gets scarce, the adults put mutual play aside and focus on survival.
But in the meantime, mother chimps continue to be their offspring's primary playmate, tickling, chasing, playing 'airplane'. That suggests the mother chimps take on an indispensable role fostering their young's physical and social development even when they are under food stress.
I think this is a great article establishing some evolutionary connections for the importance of parent-offspring relations and ultimately play. We're just starting to understand play not just as something that individuals do to relieve stress, but as part of a way to reinforce bonds and provide cognitive enrichment. I liked the way closing of this article at the end:
"If we compare to humans, it's very easy to find lots of evidence in the child psychology literature for how important it is for human mothers and fathers to be playing with their children, especially at really young ages. Moms and dads are important first play partners before kids branch out into their own social networks," she said.
"As a mom, it's impossible to watch my kids and not see them as primates," said Machanda. "I can see the incredible value of play in the lives of my own kids, when I'm playing with them or when I'm seeing them play with their friends. I can see how they're using it to develop certain skills. I can also relate to the chimp moms and the energy cost of play when their kids are jumping on them, and they just want to take a nap. But watching the chimps has made me a better parent."
Thanks. Primates are fascinating to me. I read Jane Goodall back in the day. Recently I have discovered the popular writing of primatologist Frans de Waal. So far from de Waal I have read his book...
Thanks. Primates are fascinating to me. I read Jane Goodall back in the day. Recently I have discovered the popular writing of primatologist Frans de Waal. So far from de Waal I have read his book on gender in primates and a book called The Bonobo and the Athiest in Search for Humanism amongst the Primates. His work is accessible but scholarly and his observations and ideas intrigue me.
I've heard of Frans de Waal but not read of any of his works. I love science books that are accessible - after reading a lot of dry academic papers it's nice to read something that is educational...
I've heard of Frans de Waal but not read of any of his works. I love science books that are accessible - after reading a lot of dry academic papers it's nice to read something that is educational but entertaining. That book title alone has piqued my interest to maximum!
If you're interested in biology, I have two great recommendations for you that explore both how we think about sex in biology, sexual selection, and the history of research and how it's primarily been male-focused. One is Bitch: On the Female of the Species by Lucy Cooke which focuses on the unique aspects of female animal behavior and reproduction, and sets that in the light of how males were viewed as the primary drivers of natural selection with females merely just selecting mates. Her writing is pretty accessible but a little off the cuff at times, but I enjoyed it.
The second is Evolution's Rainbow: Diversity, Gender, and Sexuality in Nature and People by Joan Roughgarden. She levies some criticisms against Darwin's sexual selection, particularly when we get to complex emergent social behavior, and proposes this idea known as social selection. It's a great book and a bit more dry than Bitch, but worth the read.
Thank you for the recs! A different set of accessble science books I find fascinating are Oliver Sacks books about neurology. The Man Who Mistook his Wife for a Hat is my favorite. This is the...
Thank you for the recs!
A different set of accessble science books I find fascinating are Oliver Sacks books about neurology. The Man Who Mistook his Wife for a Hat is my favorite. This is the same neurologist whose research was shown in the film Awakenings
Oh yeah I'm familiar with that book, great read. If I ever get the chance to hold a book discussion for a class I was thinking of having that as one of the books to read.
Oh yeah I'm familiar with that book, great read. If I ever get the chance to hold a book discussion for a class I was thinking of having that as one of the books to read.
Summary from the article:
I think this is a great article establishing some evolutionary connections for the importance of parent-offspring relations and ultimately play. We're just starting to understand play not just as something that individuals do to relieve stress, but as part of a way to reinforce bonds and provide cognitive enrichment. I liked the way closing of this article at the end:
Thanks. Primates are fascinating to me. I read Jane Goodall back in the day. Recently I have discovered the popular writing of primatologist Frans de Waal. So far from de Waal I have read his book on gender in primates and a book called The Bonobo and the Athiest in Search for Humanism amongst the Primates. His work is accessible but scholarly and his observations and ideas intrigue me.
I've heard of Frans de Waal but not read of any of his works. I love science books that are accessible - after reading a lot of dry academic papers it's nice to read something that is educational but entertaining. That book title alone has piqued my interest to maximum!
If you're interested in biology, I have two great recommendations for you that explore both how we think about sex in biology, sexual selection, and the history of research and how it's primarily been male-focused. One is Bitch: On the Female of the Species by Lucy Cooke which focuses on the unique aspects of female animal behavior and reproduction, and sets that in the light of how males were viewed as the primary drivers of natural selection with females merely just selecting mates. Her writing is pretty accessible but a little off the cuff at times, but I enjoyed it.
The second is Evolution's Rainbow: Diversity, Gender, and Sexuality in Nature and People by Joan Roughgarden. She levies some criticisms against Darwin's sexual selection, particularly when we get to complex emergent social behavior, and proposes this idea known as social selection. It's a great book and a bit more dry than Bitch, but worth the read.
Thank you for the recs!
A different set of accessble science books I find fascinating are Oliver Sacks books about neurology. The Man Who Mistook his Wife for a Hat is my favorite. This is the same neurologist whose research was shown in the film Awakenings
Oh yeah I'm familiar with that book, great read. If I ever get the chance to hold a book discussion for a class I was thinking of having that as one of the books to read.