The aim of my observational study is to see how monkeys interact with one another.

Authors Avatar
Observation Study

Aims/Predictions

The aim of my observational study is to see how monkeys interact with one another.

On a genetic level monkeys (being primates) are distantly related to humans, but out of all primates apes are a humans closest relative in the animal kingdom, with monkeys being an evolutional stepping stone for humans. On a genetic level, the closest member of the great apes species to humans is the chimpanzee. Therefore, analyzing apes and monkeys may have relevance when looking at humans.

I expect the apes or monkeys that I analyse to interact similarly to humans, but in a much simpler way. I think that apes and monkeys will interact in a simpler way compared to humans because there is an obvious lack of language, as monkeys and apes don't have vocal cords in order to verbally communicate. Even though monkeys and apes lack language I still think they will form relationships with each other in a similar way to humans. I also expect to notice a difference in interaction when I compare one species of monkey or ape to another.

Population/Sample

Due to a lack of funding for my study and the lack of monkeys and apes having a natural habitat in the United Kingdom I was not able to observe monkeys or apes in there natural habitat. The nearest population of monkeys or apes I could get access to was the monkeys and apes at London Zoo. Observing caged monkeys and apes decreases the validity and representativeness because the zoo animals may be behaving differently in the zoo from what they would in there natural environment. On the other hand the observation will be reliable, as the animals are in cages you can go back to the zoo any time you want and observe the same animals, making it easy to repeat.
Join now!


While I am at the zoo I will look around the primate section and choose two monkeys or apes from different species to analyse. If there is more than one monkey or ape in a cage of the same species I will randomly select one monkey or ape to record the behaviour of.

Procedure

When I arrived at London Zoo I located the primates section and located some species of monkey and ape that I could include in my sample. While I was in the zoo I was working with another student, so that we could ...

This is a preview of the whole essay