Similarities and Differences between Baboon and Human Being - Term Paper Example

Name Professor Course Date Outline Topic: Similarities and Differences between Baboon and Human Being A. Introduction B. Sub-topics i) Social behavior ii) Tool use iii) Territoriality iv) Hunting v) Meat eating vi) Male- female relations vii) Estrus cycle C) Conclusion D) Bibliography Similarities and Differences between Baboon and Human Being Introduction According to evolutionary studies, all primates fall in the same ancestry as human beings. Slight modifications over the years differentiated primates from each other resulting in development of varied species including baboons, gorillas, people and many others. The resultant evolutionary primate species have unique similarities and differences in relation to human beings. The paper describes the similarities between baboons and human beings based on social behavior, tool use, territoriality, hunting, meat eating habits, male-female relations, presence or absence of an estrus cycle. Social behavior Similarities in social behavior Based on social behavior studies, psychological and physical stress levels remain exceptionally higher amongst individuals within the lower hierarchy. The social behaviors results include high blood pressure, suppressed immune system and increased stress hormones. It is imperative to note that due to the social behaviors baboons can differentiate real menace and neutral factor in a similar manner as behaviors of neurotic persons. In addition, both human beings and baboons believe that violence control implicates less stress and good health. Mostly, the highly sociable baboons normally have a healthier lifestyle and with minimal stress in a similar manner to human beings. Minimize social stress directly relates to reduces mental and physical torture with consequent comfort in health. Social build up is indispensable in realization of least social stress, and it begins at birth amongst both baboons and human beings. Besides health related stress similarities, baboons also have a strong tendency towards competition and aggression just like human beings. In a similar way as human beings, baboons develop inherent competitive urge when relating to each other. In addition to competitiveness aggression, baboons also directly get involved in decision-making processes in a similar way as human beings. Typically, baboons develop thinking and take sides during discussions both emotionally and rationally just like human beings. However, human beings slightly differ with baboons mainly because their decisions may surpass the immediate situation and environment. Furthermore, both the baboons and humans manifest wickedness and envy friendship in all their social associations. Another important social behavior relates to the unique personality developed by an individual and baboons. It is indispensable to note that the determining factor that defines the uniqueness of personality amongst baboons and human beings includes the infancy, genetics, and early personal history. Social Differences Baboons have a thinking behavior where when they make decisions on instincts they commit a big error of not being able to control themselves, unlike humans. Baboons aggressively follow their instincts without a comprehensive analysis of either imperative or abyssal outcomes that their decisions may yield. However, human beings have the inherent capability to make both negative and positive judgments based on a particular condition. Moreover, baboons’ intelligence remains limited to only identifying possible dangers from the experiences but humans have a very high level of knowledge. Lastly, baboons make politics in establishing a hierarchy. The criteria used is in terms of power, muscle mass, weight, size and sharpness of fangs, aggressiveness, knowing when to stab companion from behind or the ability to form coalitions. Baboons use biology, environment, and personality to determine the factors. In contrary, humans use intellectual capacity to elect their leaders and only reside to violence options in making political ideas. Tools use Similarities in tool use Both humans and baboons are remarkably dependent on tools. The dependence seems to be primary characteristics of primates. Like the early man, baboon used stone tools and sticks as well. Indeed, the tool use by both humans and baboons is at the convenience of both creatures (Dunn et al., 2013: 337-352). It is applicable to challenging scenarios and sometimes acts as physical aids to achieving livelihood. Both human beings and baboons can adapt to environmental tools. The human life is complicated and human intelligence aids survival in the same through technological innovations. Baboons, on the other hand, though not innovative, manually manipulate tools such as sticks to achieve their desire. For instance, baboons in parks can use long sticks to sort out grapefruits. Interestingly, just as humans, baboons use tools to facilitate any activity thus ensuring their comfort and sustainability in the environment. Differences in tool use Baboons employ adaptive specialization as social intelligence and their technological skills are overwhelming. They do not change their physical environment. Baboons have small brains as compared to other apes living in small groups that manufacture and use tools. Human beings are regular tool user whereas baboons are not. The use of instruments was to ensure that there was sufficient food. The earliest tools were the digging sticks. The baboons are like the human hunters who used crude tools to collect fruits and vegetable. Territoriality Similarities Both baboons and humans have a sense of belonging especially when it comes to locality. Baboons will persist in the area for a very long period. Notably, the baboons strive to secure their location and harness the resources available however scarce. Baboons occupy a particular place in organized troops and secure troop members from predecessors as well. Baboons also fight external interference and in fact display consequences of the same. Humans live in settlements depending on distinct categorizations. Several factors influence grouping of humans. Such include the affluence, ethnicity or political identification. Like baboons, humans are equally protective of their loved ones or neighbors. Humans are organized into sociological systems that ascribe to particular faiths or cultures. They defend the rights of individual groups and don not tolerate external interference just as the baboons do not. Differences Human beings are territorial, but baboons are not. Baboons do not protect their species. Instead, each baboon troop stays at a home overlapping with other troops. Different troops avoid using the overlap areas at the same time. Their home ranges shift quickly with each other. Human encroachment into the home range of one troop affects the troop’s relationship with the other troops. Baboon troops never fight one another because of the territory but food resource, site for sleeping, male-male competition for females and tried infanticide. On the contrary, human beings are territorial always taking care of their relatives. Moreover, most primates live in large communities. Baboons live in semi-terrestrial just to offer protection against predators and protect scarce food resources Hunting Similarities Baboons and Humans share a lot when it comes to searching for foods. Interestingly, both creatures are opportunistic. The early man was a hunted and a gathered fruits as well. Despite having two ways of survival, it took advantage of other animals such as dogs to deprive them of food that they hunted. Man primarily used dogs for hunting. At the same time, humans despite evolution are still opportunistic and appreciative of free food. Observation of human lifestyle depicts fear of hard work. Baboons will stay close to humans to get free food. In situations of food scarcity, baboons will take to the forests to hunt. However, such occasions are rear since baboons equally enjoy free provision of food. As opportunists, they will take advantage of little animals like squirrels when extremely in hunger. Baboons have popularity in chasing after antelopes and other herbivores for food just as genuine carnivores do. Differences Baboons troops have no permanent pair but consist of small families are usually inbred. The family includes for male, female and children in a figurative sense. These groups remain divided by the male and later from segregated units like for birds. This distinguishes them from groups of the human family. The hunting group consists of twenty to fifty members (Szabó et al., 2013: 77-85). The same hunters group also defines the particular baboons as gatherers. Human beings differ from baboon in that marriages have meaning to last forever in disguise. One female gets married to one male. For such arrangements, hunting or gathering is seasonal or for purposes of rituals. The intermediate primate family (the chimpanzee) has a compromising agreement that falls between the two. The adolescent males and females from different families meet. This brings about the relationship between male and female humans closer to their ancestors. Humans are all the time hunters. Humans purposefully hunt for food. It is the responsibility of the males to hunt and provide for the female and children. At least in some conservative communities, the gender roles are still distinct, and males are responsible for the provision of food. Humans, unlike baboons, tend to share their catch since they have got emotional dimensions of life. Unlike baboons, hominids and humans engaged in other economic activities such as farming and gathering. Humans could carry out barter trade and get other goods that are in possession of others. Baboons hunt to feed and never engage in any exchange of food or material whatsoever. Suffice to say, human intellectualism embraces interdependence unlike baboons whose hospitality is limited to their troops. Baboons hunt and feed on their catch immediately. Notably baboons have no sense for the futures neither are they precautionary of future challenges such as drought and food scarcity. Humans, dating from the early man, have always had ways of preserving food. Such techniques include the use of honey, and smoking and sun drying. In the case of excess catch, humans preserve the surplus for future consumption. Meat Eating Similarities Baboons and Humans are not dependent on meat as the only source of proteins. Humans consume legumes and other foods that provide adequate proteins. Indeed, some humans are allergic to meat. Baboons also have a diverse source of proteins that ranges from seeds and particular legumes. The hominids hunted herbivores like antelopes and gazelles for food. Today, humans eat domesticated animals and wild ones as well. Baboons have a good taste for meat from antelopes and gazelles too. Differences The long teeth owned by the baboons are not for cutting flesh as the other carnivores because baboons are not predators (Szabó et al., 2013: 77-85). They use teeth to threaten small carnivores like puppies. In most cases, they use direct eye contact to scare away small animals. The teeth are for eating small animals like rabbits and lizards. If the baboon feels threatened by small dog or cat, they take them as preys. Naturally, the baboons hunt and eat small hares and antelopes. Humans have different types of teeth. The canines are specialized for tearing flesh. Unlike baboons, humans can hunt both large and small animals for food. Moreover, humans rarely consume raw meat as the baboons do. Humans will cook or roast meat to make it softer and edible. The baboons on the other hand feed on fresh meat. Male-female relations Similarities Both humans and baboons engage in social interactions for survival. For the baboons, interactions involve grooming of one another through picking up of pests and parasites from one another. They also remove dead skin from colleagues. Research shows that female baboons who engage males ones regularly are the most sociable (Huguet et al., 2014: 2067-2073). They can make troops and mate with a male one to bear children. Baboons mainly males and females in paired company of one another are aggressive and active as well. Humans equally rely on one another. Humans have emotions that influence to greater extent male and female interactions. Such affections remains displayed through mating and establishing of families together. Like baboons, human socialize with the opposite sex through exchange of pleasantries and taking care of one another. Differences Baboons male-female interactions are limited to grooming (Huguet et al., 2014: 2067-2073). Humans extend to other protective measures. For instance, humans protect one another from external interference and assume to be in a union following long-time friendship. Male and female baboons do not commit to one another as in the case of humans. Humans approve of marriage as a covenant between the two parties. Unlike male baboons that fight of a female before mating, human civilization integrates the principles of mutual understanding before courtship. Estrus cycle Similarity Both female baboons and humans have cycle estrus. The period remains characterized by hormonal fluctuations. In baboons, the end cycle remains marked by copulation when the animal is on heat. In humans, the end characterizes by ovulations. During the cycle, both the females and males can initiate the sex. The females of baboons and humans have seductive skills. Difference The estrus in humans takes 28 days with ovulation occurring from 3 to 8 days variable. In baboons, the cycle lasts for 30 to 40 days. The end remains marked by swelling of the female perineum. In baboons, males monopolize the females during the cycle. Such cases are not present in female humans. Moreover, humans have control of the menstrual cycle and can keep it secret. Female baboons lack control over the same. Conclusion Baboons and Humans share many characteristics. The two creatures belong to primates and have several means of survival within the environment. However, human cognitive abilities are higher than baboons giving them the ability to adapt quickly and perfectly in any environment. Baboons, though primitive, are severe enough to struggle against extinction as well. Both primates explore potentials within their environment to relate perfectly with one another and to ensure sustainability. Bibliography Cheney, Dorothy L, and Robert M. Seyfarth. Baboon Metaphysics: The Evolution of a Social Mind. Chicago, Ill: University of Chicago Press, 2008. Print Cohen, Yehudi A. Human Adaptation: The Biosocial Background. Edison, NJ: AldineTransaction, 2010. Print. Dunn, Jason, Andrea Cardini, and Sarah Elton. "Biogeographic variation in the baboon: dissecting the cline." Journal Of Anatomy 223, no. 4 (October 2013): 337-352. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed January 5, 2015). Huguet, Pascal, et al. "Cognitive control under social influence in baboons." Journal Of Experimental Psychology: General 143, no. 6 (December 2014): 2067-2073. PsycARTICLES, EBSCOhost (accessed January 5, 2015). Kinzey, Warren G. The Evolution of Human Behavior: Primate Models. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1987. Print Szabó, C. Ákos, Koyle D. Knape, M. Michelle Leland, and Jeff T. Williams. 2013. "Electroclinical phenotypes in a pedigreed baboon colony." Epilepsy Research 105, 77-85. ScienceDirect, EBSCOhost (accessed January 5, 2015). Read More