Written Assignment 3 Instructions
Anthropology 345
Human Evolution and Diversity
CSUCI
Spring 2025
This written assignment is worth 70 points and is due as a pdf file or document file upload
(double spaced and 12-point font) on Canvas by 11:59 PM on Wednesday, April 2. Note: This
due date is later than originally scheduled. Complete both activities and answer all questions.
There is no minimum or maximum word limit for answers. Please feel free to write as much as
necessary. The key to doing well is to construct thoughtful, thorough, and well written answers
that demonstrate command for the material presented, critical analysis, and the ability to relate
particular issues presented to central the1mes and issues in the course. See the syllabus for
specific grading criteria information for written assignments.
Activity 1: Gorilla King
Watch the film Gorilla King
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4j5xWFS-zo4
Then answer the following questions:
(1) Explain why Titus is a very important ape in the history of ape field research studies? Provide
specific examples from the film to support your answer.
By far, I think King Titus may be one of the most important apes in this history of field
research for his story and the fact that we’ve been able to capture it so intimately. In the video,
it’s stated that the researchers have been observing his family for 40 years in total. The
researchers studying this family have seen the birth, upbringing, and pivotal moments in his life.
Titus is the first ape to have been observed since birth and until death (according to my research
beyond the documentary). It is very rare for researchers to gain as much insight onto one
individual as much as they have with Titus. In addition to his extensive documentation, watching
his life unfold in real time has allowed us to learn about the rise to power in gorilla society, the
interpersonal webs in those societies, and the inner functioning of them. Through Titus, we learn
that gorillas do experience trauma from the loss of loved ones. We see his reaction, as well as the
other gorillas’, to the death of Titus’s family. We also see many other “human” traits in Titus and
the gorillas he interacts with. We see friendship form and strengthen when Titus clings onto
Beetsme after the dispersal of the group, we see secrecy and betrayal in his affair with Papoose
behind Beetsme’s back, and we see resilience and perseverance each time Titus has to adapt to
new situations, such as after his initial group dispersed and also after his first son takes over the
group he formed. Overall, his life has shown us the similar complexity in dynamics in gorilla life
that humans also experience. This life of his has provided us with a plethora of insight into how
humans also grew to become so complex, versatile, and emotional.
(2) Describe at least five key concepts from your textbook How Humans Evolved (Boyd and
Silk, 10th edition) concerning non-human primate behavior and/or ecology that are documented
in the film. How are these concepts demonstrated in the film? Be specific in your answer.
​
Many of the concepts discussed in our textbook are showcased in this film. In the
beginning, the narrator specifies the type of allopatric evolution undergone by the lowland
gorillas who had to migrate to the mountains after a volcano had erupted. Allopatric evolution is
when a species is forced to change or evolve due to geological circumstances, usually caused by
a natural event/disaster. The lowland gorillas became larger and stronger so that they would be fit
to climb, their fur grew thicker to withstand the cold, and learned to harvest plants rather than
simply eating them. Although indirectly stated, we see that mountain gorillas are K-selected
species. They typically produce one infant whom they invest a lot of time and care to raise. We
also see that the maturation of these gorillas is quite long, as the video states that Titus fully
matures at around age 18. We also get to see the social structure in the world of mountain
gorillas. In this film, we see that this species utilizes a polygynous social structure, where one
dominant male mates with many females, and young male offspring are allowed to stay. In the
film, Titus’s father is the dominant silverback of his original group, with the females being all of
his mates. Later once this group had dispersed, Titus and other males form an all male group in
order to survive, but Beetsme kicks them out once females start to appear in order to be the
leader of his own group. What was unique about this situation though was Titus’s permission to
stay, despite being male. This is attributed to Titus’s ability to form a bond with Beetsme as a
result of his prosocial behaviors, which are also explained in the book. Prosocial behaviors are
behaviors that promote social cohesion and bonds. In this same scenario, we also see behavioral
plasticity exhibited by the gorillas as they adapt to their new life cut off from their previous
group. They perform homosexual sex as a way to relieve their sexual urges and perhaps also
boredom, and they also adapt to being in a new group in general. Titus himself has demonstrated
a lot of behavioral plasticity by changing his demeanor as the time calls for it, such as when
attempting to maintain his dominance over his long lost son. Although not related to their
behavior, it is also worth mentioning that the researchers used an ad libitum research style to
observe Titus, which is where the researchers try and record everything that animal or group
does. According to our book, this sampling method is unreliable and subject to bias since
researchers often put more weight on the interactions that stand out to them. This can briefly be
caught when we find that the researchers attribute human-like emotions and mental states to the
animals and grow emotionally attached to the gorillas they’re observing.
(3) Explain what you think are the qualities that Titus possessed that made him a successful
silverback gorilla for so long (be sure to provide specific examples to support your answer).
​
There are a number of qualities that have contributed to Titus’s success as a silverback
gorilla. These qualities include being very prosocial, nonthreatening, resilient, and attractive.
From a young age, Titus has always been very friendly and made a lot of friends. Most notably, a
young male joined the group as a newcomer, which was highly unusual. Titus quickly befriended
this ape, Beetsme This came to benefit him in the long run when he and Beetsme formed a new
group after their old one had dispersed. Once females had begun to appear in the new group,
Beetseme banished all of the males, except for Titus. This is believed to be because of Titus’s
calm, non threatening demeanor. Due to his amiability and lack of aggression, Beetsme believed
Titus would not be a threat, and so was welcomed to stay. In that group however, without
necessarily trying to, the females preferred Titus over Beetsme because he had more attractive
facial features as a gorilla. Due to this fact, many of the females, especially Papoose, went
behind Beetsme’s back to mate with him, even helping him when he did not quite understand
how to mate yet. His attractive features encouraged more females to pursue him, which
eventually led to Titus forming a group of his own and having many willing mating partners. His
friendly demeanor and nonchalance most likely promoted good rapport between him and his
many group leaders, so much so that the males perhaps did not want to challenge him for a long
time, and perhaps made him even more attractive to the females. Due to his ability to form many
connections, build rapport, and attract many females, he was able to pass on his genetic material
to numerous offspring, starting from only 11 years only until he was 35. I suspect that this is how
humans came to be so friendly. Titus is a prime example of how friendliness led to higher
survival and more reproduction. I predict that Titus’s offspring may also be a bit friendlier than
the average male gorilla. In addition to all of these qualities, I think Titus’s perseverance and
resilience to adversity also contributed to his success. He had lost his whole family and whole
group at a young age, but he adapted to this by finding a new, unfamiliar one, and even partaking
in new activities with that group. He seemed to have adjusted well to being a ruler, and it is
shown in the documentary that even after being replaced as leader, he still finds a way to move
on.
(4) What did you find most interesting in Gorilla King. Be sure to explain thoroughly.
What I found most interesting as I watched Gorilla King was how “human” a lot of the
interactions felt between the gorillas. Before taking this class, I acknowledged primates and apes
as intelligent, but I hadn’t imagined the level of depth in their cognition and emotions. I had
thought that most animals are primal and driven mainly by instinct, but seeing Titus not know
how to mate broke that perception for me. Just like humans, gorillas have to be acclimated with
and learn to understand how to interact with the opposite sex, especially when attempting to
initiate sexual intercourse. In this regard, I was intrigued by the researchers’ explanation for why
the females prefer Titus, which was the symmetricality in his face. Modern day humans also
prefer symmetrical faces, and I always wondered where that beauty standard came from. A lot of
what current humans are attracted to I mainly assumed was learned or socialized into them. With
this in mind, it was fascinating to see that some beauty standards may have still originated from
our earlier, primal ancestors. Seeing that Titus and his male friends partook in homosexuality
during their time period without females also piqued my interest because it made me question the
nature of those who are homosexual in today’s age. It has been debated for a long time whether
or not homosexuality is a choice or not, and most people seem to believe that it is not a choice,
but a trait that people are born with. This makes sense to me because being heterosexual seems to
be the most “socially acceptable” in the society we currently live in, so choosing the “harder”
option seems irrational to me. In the Gorilla King however, it felt like they did so out of
boredom, and abandoned the hobby once females began to appear. In their situation, it seemed
like the males mated with each other to relieve their urges, but perhaps weren’t necessarily
attracted to each other. In today’s age, it seems like many of those who claim to be homosexuals
are genuinely attracted to the same sex. I would like to see some research explaining how this
came to be, and when genuine homosexuality began to appear.
Another aspect of the film that I found very interesting was imagining this as our
ancestors. Seeing Titus learn and grow throughout his life was interesting to me because it felt
very similar to the ways that human beings progress in character and in life. I had guessed that
humans came to be emotionally intelligent and aware from their ancestors who had begun to eat
and hunt meat. My hypothesis was that once these primates began eating meat, they had to learn
reason and plan how to use tools, but also had to learn how to coordinate themselves in groups in
order to successfully capture the animal. Once these primates began to benefit from group
settings, societies began to form and eventually civilization flourished. However, it is interesting
to see this level of emotion and connectedness between primates who are vegetarians, it makes
me wonder what it was in their lineage that got them to where they are now. Either way, I think
the life of Titus gives us a very insightful glimpse into the early phases of our development as
hominins and as human beings. In the film we see very human emotions such as betrayal,
secrecy, grief, loving bonds, resilience, adapting, boredom, and rejection.
Activity 2: Ape Genius
Step 1: Watch the NOVA program Ape Genius. As you watch the film, think about core
concepts covered in Chapter 5-8 of our textbook How Humans Evolved (chapters 7 and 8 are
particularly relevant) and lectures concerning living non-human hominoid behavior, especially
that of common chimpanzees and bonobos.
https://www.pbs.org/video/nova-ape-genius/
If you are unable to view on PBS, please view on Vimeo:
https://vimeo.com/333155006
Also available on YouTube, but not the best quality video (YouTube copy broken into six parts):
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqwpJM5y5UGFWxJPDtaOb_G2zIdrDaClI
ALSO NOTE: A transcript for the Ape Genius video is available on the PBS Ape Genius page:
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/transcripts/3504_apegeniu.html
Step 2: Answer the following questions:
(1) How is tool use explored in the film? Be specific in your answer, providing examples from
the film to support your answer.
Tool use is explored in the film by analyzing the complexity behind the usage. One
example includes the use of spears to hunt bush babies. A simple form of tool use may be to
crack open a nut using a heavy rock, but it’s a straightforward process. The use of the spear to
hunt bush babies displays calculation and thought because of the steps that go behind it. First the
ape must know where their prey usually hides, and find something that resembles it. Next, they
grab a stick and modify it in a way that they think will kill their prey. Afterwards, they must
know how to wield the weapon precisely to get it into the hole and to know how much force to
use. They also smell or lick the stick to see if it actually killed something, and finally they break
open the tree to obtain the bushbaby. Another example of the tool use of chimps is their termite
fishing technique. They insert a stick into a termite hole, expecting them to grab onto it, and then
pull it out to eat the termites. In an experiment where an ape must extract a peanut from the
bottom of a clear tube, the ape first attempts to reach for it with their fingers and tongue. After
some time to think, the orangutan finally understands that to lift the peanut, they can pour water
into the tube so that it floats up. All of these examples showcase a high level of intelligence and
reason by showing us that chimps can make predictions about the behaviors of other creatures
and materials, construct a plan to execute a goal, and understand cause and effect relationships.
(2) How is intention and cooperation explored in the film Ape Genius? Be specific in your
answer, providing examples from the film to support your answer. And identify and explain key
concepts from Chapters 7 and/or 8 of How Humans Evolved (Boyd and Silk, 10th edition) that
relate to these examples.
Cooperation is explored in this film by analyzing the constraints and conditions in which
a chimp will cooperate. The film showcases an experiment where two apes must pull a rope in
order to pull a bowl of food closer to them. In the condition where there are two separate bowls
of food divided evenly, the apes were more likely to cooperate and enjoy their own bowls. In the
condition where there is one bowl that they must share, they are likely to cooperate up until the
point where it gets close enough to them, at which point they will try and shove one another out
of the way to take all of the food for themselves. These research findings remain consistent with
the chapter discussing nonhuman primate societies. The book states that chimps tend to be more
opportunistic and self centered in their interactions with one another. They tend to be more
conniving and aggressive to get their own way. Intention is explored in this film by attempting
to see if these apes possess a Theory of Mind (TOM). As discussed in the book, Theory of Mind
(TOM) is the recognition of other beings as autonomous, intentional beings with mental states
different from their own. TOM also includes the ability to attribute or predict what mental states
the other may be experiencing. The research in this video appears to suggest that these apes do
possess TOM. In an experiment where an ape must pull a string to bring monkey chow closer to
them, there are two conditions. The first is where two apes on opposing sides are responsible for
where the chow is pulled, and the other is where the human researcher is responsible for where
the chow is pulled. The chimps can choose to end the experiment whenever they like. In the first
condition, if one was eating and had the chow pulled from them by another chimp, the first
chimp is more likely to end the game in a fit of rage. In the second condition, both chimps are
more likely to remain calm and compliant, even when the human pulls the food away. This
experiment suggests that chimps can understand when another being is being intentionally
disrespectful versus when someone is intending to be fair. The increased likelihood of outbursts
in this first condition suggests a theory of mind because they are attributing malice to the other
chimp, but it also suggests that the chimp has the ability to feel different feelings towards
specified actions. It shows that the chimp wasn’t angry simply because its feeding was
interrupted, but rather because it was unfairly taken away by a greedy chimp. The reaction to the
intention seemed to reflect revenge or an attempt to punish the other for their intention, which
suggests high emotional complexity. In another experiment, chimps were very likely to help
humans pick up out of reach objects if they understood their goals and intentions. This research
suggests that apes have the ability to predict and attribute independent mental states and goals to
others and also assess for themselves if they would like to participate in the realization of that
goal. The research presented in this video suggests that chimps have the ability to cooperate and
read intention, and that they may withhold their cooperation if they don’t agree. However, what
limits them is their lack of ability to properly communicate their goals to others and coordinate
their actions with others to achieve it. This is shown in another experiment where chimps are
attempting to lift a heavy stone with food under it. They were able to ask for help, but unable to
communicate an effective plan or coordinated action to successfully lift the stone.
(3) How are emotions explored in the film? Be specific in your answer, providing examples
from the film to support your answer.
​
In the film we learn that chimps can experience different emotions towards others
contingent on the believed intentions that the other possesses. In the experiment mentioned
previously featuring the monkey chow, the first monkey feels angry, frustrated, and vengeful
when another monkey maliciously or selfishly pulls the food towards them while the other is
eating. As a result, they throw the food down so that neither of them, but focused on the other,
can eat. Whenever the food is moved away by the humans, the chimp doesn’t feel anger at the
human or the other who gets to eat because they recognize the intentions behind the moved plate
as benign. One of the greater displays of emotions by the chimps is their reaction to death and
grief. When attempting to remove the dead body of a chimp from the enclosure, the chimps cry
loudly and rally against the humans to preserve the body from being removed, despite the chimps
not knowing the dead chimp. This display of action shows that apes feel grief, emotional
attachments to others of their kind, and empathy for strangers. In the video, a mother chimp is
shown carrying around her deceased infant for two days after it has passed. She appears to be
grieving and potentially in denial that her infant has passed. If it is true that she was experiencing
denial, this may imply that chimps have similar emotional defense mechanisms that humans
have, suggesting the possibility of a present “id” versus “ego” in their consciousness.
​
Additionally, we also learn that chimps and apes lack emotional control and regulation,
which may be one of the main things “setting them back” from obtaining the same advancement
that we have reached. In an experiment, a researcher asks a chimp to point or touch which bowl
of candy goes to the other chimp so that the remaining one goes to them. When the bowl
contained actual candy, the chimps couldn’t resist their impulse to try and grab the one with more
candy, therefore sacrificing it to the other each time and only getting the smaller amount.
However, this did not mean that the chimps didn’t understand the game. The researcher tried
again with cards displaying a number in the bowl. When the chimp was faced with cards, they
were able to choose the smaller one first for the other chimp to receive so that they could get the
larger amount. The chow experiment also showcases this in its own way as we observe that the
chimp’s anger outburst is instant, showing that the ape did not think before acting. Examples of
apes in the wild also demonstrate the lack of thought behind their actions resulting from high
emotionality, as we often see violent fights break out between males, or even find males hitting
the babies of mothers when angry. This represents a more primitive, underdeveloped emotional
intelligence in apes that may need more time to develop.
(4) How is symbol use explored in the film? Be specific in your answer, providing examples
from the film to support your answer.
​
Symbol use is explored in the film most notably by the bonobo, Kanzi, who was trained
to use a keypad containing different symbols associated with different words. Kanzi was able to
learn 3,000 English words and understand what each word/symbol on the keypad meant. Kanzi
could even follow instructions. Another researcher in Japan also demonstrated that the apes he
was working with could learn numbers in ascending order and the symbol associated with them.
Despite the apes’ ability to learn direct associations with symbols and use them in a specified
context, they still struggle to generate new, abstract combinations of these words/symbols to
create new or more complex meanings the way humans do. They can’t start conversations, but
can only ask for or point out something directly, operating more like a call system in the wild.
(5) How is learning and teaching explored in the film? Be specific in your answer, providing
examples from the film to support your answer.
One of the key aspects of this film is the analysis on primate learning. We have learned
that although apes have strong reasoning skills, the ability to innovate new things, and can learn
through modeling and imitation, what sets them back from where humans have reached is the
lack of intentional teaching in their societies. It is assumed that many chimps in the wild imitate
the actions of their elders in order to learn, such as when observing how to termite fish, but
scientists sought to understand how deep their understanding was. In an experiment where one
chimp is taught how to solve a puzzle box to extract a grape from it, all of the chimps in her
enclosure quickly learned how to solve the box for themselves without having been taught
directly, but rather just by watching her. The chimps in the separate enclosure across from them
also learned how to solve the box. This experiment shows that apes can and do learn efficiently
through imitation. In another experiment featuring a puzzle box to extract a treat, the actions and
learning process of chimps and children are compared. When the box was opaque, the chimps
and the children were likely to imitate each step that the research showed them. In the second
phase where the box is transparent, the chimps were more likely to skip the steps they deemed
extraneous in obtaining the candy. On the other hand, the children were still more likely to
imitate each step, even the unnecessary ones. The chimps performed the steps with the intention
of achieving their goal, while the children performed the steps with the intention of being taught.
Rather than an intellectual difference, I believe this represents a cultural difference. In the wild,
efficiency is prioritized due to the high stakes they face on a day to day. In human society, we
don’t have to worry as much about survival, and can afford to “waste time” to learn a new skill
or idea. It is more efficient to watch what someone is doing rather than to invest time in another
to break it down step by step, therefore intentional teaching is not yet something apes prioritize.
In human culture, children are taught to see adults as teachers and ones with more knowledge.
This mindset leads many children to believe that adults know what they are doing more than they
do themselves, therefore it is best to follow their instructions. Although this finding doesn’t
suggest a difference in intellect, I believe that it showcases a higher advancement in culture
formation and cultural expectation.
(6) What did you find most interesting in Ape Genius. Be sure to explain thoroughly.
​
Overall I really enjoyed the research oriented approach to this video. In comparison to the
Gorilla King, I liked that this video was able to provide multiple substantial experiments to back
up their claims or build off of. What I found very interesting was the implications of apes
possessing a theory of mind. I’ve debated with others whether or not dogs have TOM, so it was
interesting to learn that at least one animal, apes, most likely does. After watching this video, I
am under the belief that apes do possess a theory of mind. It is clear through the research
presented that apes have the ability to infer mental states of other beings. One experiment shows
that if a human blankly points to something, they fail to understand the meaning or intention to
communicate behind that action. However, if a human is using something and reaches for an
object with a certain expression on their face, the ape can infer that the human wants that object
to complete a task, and decide to help them. Apes can also attribute beliefs of intention to other
animals, such as betrayal and disrespect from the ape that moved the food away in the chow
experiment. In the experiment where the human researcher asserts themselves as a competitor,
the ape understands that the human also wants the food. When it sees that the human can only
see one, the ape attempts to sneak away to the “hidden” one. This experiment also shows theory
of mind because it shows that the ape can understand the human’s goal, and that it understands
the limitations of its perception versus their own.
I try to ground my beliefs in the idea that humans are not above any other animal, we are
simply on a different path. Seeing that other animals possess many “human-like” qualities
strengthens this belief by showing that none of our abilities are necessarily “special,” but rather
more enhanced, the same way that apes and other organisms have more advanced abilities in
different respects. I really enjoyed the overall questioning of why other nonhuman primates have
not reached the same level of civilization and societal advancement. So far, the reasons for this
seem to be that apes lack impulse control and emotional regulation, the ability to spontaneously
construct strings of symbols to convey abstract meaning, coordination, and an intention to share
and learn new ideas from others.