311 Final

Question 1

What are Kanzi’s lexigrams?

Answer 1

(the bonobo in Ape Genus), symbols that represent words

Question 2

What are the 4 components of communication?

Answer 2

signal, motivation, meaning, function

Question 3

Describe signal

Answer 3

-observable action
-Might be vocalizations, facial expressions, body
postures, movements, odours, etc
-Simple or complex
-Different forms of communications are often
used together to convey clear, unambiguous
messages

Question 4

Example of signal

Answer 4

agnostic behaviour: includes aggression and

submission

Question 5

What is the role of learning signals

Answer 5

Some signals are universal but others are required to be learned to acquire proper use (infant vervets give alarm call to both harmless and predatory birds)

Question 6

Describe motivation

Answer 6

-Internal state of the animal
-Usually inferred from the prior and
subsequent behaviors of the actor that
accompany the signal

Question 7

Two ways to infer meaning of signal

Answer 7

(1) Determined by the reaction of the
receiver(s)
(2) Inferred from the context of situation

Question 8

What are 3 alarm calls for vervet

Answer 8

eagle call, leopard call, snake call

Question 9

Describe function

Answer 9

-What is the adaptive value of the signal to
either the sender or the receiver?
-Why did the signal evolve? Once again we
have to infer why the signal may have
evolved

Question 10

Examples of function

Answer 10

• Alarm calls
• Territorial scent marking
• Courtship displays

Question 11

Pathway for Observation and Pathway for Inferences

Answer 11

Observations:
signal->reaction->environmental context
Inferences:
motivation->meaning->function

Question 12

What are the four modes of communication?

Answer 12

olfactory, visual, auditory/vocal, tactile

Question 13

Describe olfactory

Answer 13

• oldest form of communication
• uses chemical signals or pheromones
• most important in solitary, nocturnal primates

Question 14

Who primarily uses olfactory

Answer 14

strepsirhines

haplorhines rely on vision (divergent trait)

Question 15

Describe passive and active olfactory signals

Answer 15

Passive-conveys message while sender is going about everyday business
Active-more deliberation

Question 16

What is scent marking, and its functions?

Answer 16

chemical signal dispersed into air or deposited on substrate

Functions: mark territories, aggressive/competitive encounters, advertise dominance status, sexual receptivity

Question 17

What are the three main types of visual communication?

Answer 17

1. Facial expression
2. Body and Tail postures
3. Colouration

Question 18

Who is visual communication particularly important for

Answer 18

Haplorhines (tarsiers, apes, humans)

Question 19

Describe Facial Expressions

Answer 19

• permit diverse messages
• good for close range messages
• many are universal
• more limited in strepsirhines

Question 20

Describe facial expressions for: 
fearful
playful
inviting proximity
aggressive

Answer 20

fearful-grimace
playful-invite
inviting proximity-“come-hither”
aggressive-yawn threat

Question 21

What is body & tail postures better for and give one example

Answer 21

Better for distance messages

ex. dominance

Question 22

Examples of Colouration

Answer 22

• brightly coloured face and body

- colobines have natal coat

Question 23

Purpose of auditory/visual communication, and what are sonograms?

Answer 23

attracts receivers attention without being in view

Sonogram: visual representation of sound

Question 24

What do sonograms suggest

Answer 24

primates display great variation in vocal pitch and intensity

Question 25

Describe anatomical specializations in 3 aboreal species

Answer 25

Howlers-enlarged hyoid bone Siamangs- air sac Probiscis- large nose

Question 26

Tarsiers commicate via what and why?

Answer 26

Ultrasound Why: - -

Question 27

What conducted playback experiments and what did they find

Answer 27

Cheney and Seyfarth 3 alarm calls recognize individuals based on vocalizations recognize relationships based on vocalizations (can distinguish calls between dominants and subordinates)

Question 28

Who described referential calls in primates and what did they find

Answer 28

Drew Randall in some cases, link btw type of call & and object + these calls have specific structure (sonograms)->suggests call=referential (like words)

Question 29

What form of communication is difficult to study and why?

Answer 29

Tactile because we cannot perceive the message the same as the receiver

Question 30

In what settings does tactile communication occur? and examples

Answer 30

Intense/intimate social interactions | mother/infant; female/male consort

Question 31

What are 3 tactile communications

Answer 31

- grooming - greeting - reunion hugs/kisses

Question 32

Describe function of grooming

Answer 32

to maintain social bonds and reduce tension | secondary function: remove parasites

Question 33

Describe situations grooming is observed in

Answer 33

- mothers to pacify infants - prelude male consort pairs - reinforce kinship bonds - reduce tension btw potential adversaries - reconciliation

Question 34

Describe purpose of self grooming

Answer 34

personal hygiene and appears to calm individuals in tense situations

Question 35

Who displays greeting and reunion hugs/kisses

Answer 35

chimps and spider monkeys