Anthropology 325-01
Biological Basis of Human Societies
Fall 2008 – Grinnell College
Instructor: Charles E. Hilton
Phone: 641.269.4305
Email: hiltonch@grinnell.edu
Office Hours: MW 3-5pm or by appt.
Classroom: Goodnow 109
Time: TTH 2:15-4:05pm
Required Texts:
Primate Behavioral Ecology, 3rd Ed., Karen B. Strier, 2002, Boston: Allyn and Bacon. (This text is meant
to provide the background information necessary for delving into the topics found in the other books.)
The Chimpanzees of the Tai Forest: Behavioural Ecology and Evolution. C. Boesch and H. BoeschAchermann. 2000. Oxford University Press.
Demography of the Dobe !Kung. N. Howell. 1979. Aldine-Transaction Press.
Hunter-Gatherer Childhoods. B. S. Hewlett and M. E. Lamb. 2005. Aldine-Transaction Publishers.
DESCRIPTION:
This class will focus on how numerous aspects of human behavior and, ultimately, culture are rooted to
our biology, reproduction, life history, and our long evolutionary history as primates. Given these topics,
we will focus on learning and discussing key elements of evolutionary theory, behavioral ecology, and
long-term observational studies of both chimpanzee and modern human foraging societies. The
fundamental organizing principle of this class will be the theories associated with the forces of evolution,
primarily evolution by natural selection. Using our knowledge of these forces, we will develop a deeper
understanding of the relationship of biology and ecology to human behavior, sociality, and life history.
Class Attendance and Participation:
The class will routinely be taught in a seminar format, although I will provide a lecture on foundation
topics such as kin selection, reciprocal altruism, reproductive strategies, parental investment, distribution
of food resources, and life history theory. Each student is expected to participate in discussions of the
assigned readings. You should prepare at least two thoughtful questions for each topic to be discussed in
order to help initiate our discussions. Additionally, please keep your questions in a journal that I will
periodically review during the semester. We will also be using videos I made of Venezuelan foragers as
well as videos related primates and different human forager groups. Class participation is a key element
of the course. Thus, I will drop you from the class if you have five unexcused absences.
Exams/Research Paper/Review Papers: A MIDTERM EXAM is the only exam scheduled for this
course.
Research Paper: You are required to submit a research paper on a topic examining interactions between
human behavior and biology. For example, why do humans have a extended post-reproductive life
stage?; why do humans have a long period of growth and development with such extensive parental
investment?; what are human reproductive strategies and how do they differ between males and females?;
what are the relationships between energetic expenditure, acquisition, and human fertility?
A 250-word abstract describing your research project is due by 5pm on Tuesday, 28
October. Your paper topic must be approved by me prior to the submission of your abstract and
your abstract must contain at least six (6) primary references from peer-reviewed journals.
Your final paper is due by 5pm Friday, 19 December. The text of the research paper should
range between 12-14 pages, 1.5 line-spaced manuscript (12 pt font; 1 inch margins). This length does not
include references, figures, or tables. Except for line spacing, the format of your research paper should
follow that of the American Journal of Physical Anthropology. Consult the AJPA Guide for Authors
(www3.interscience.wiley.com/jounral/28130/home/forauthors.html) for detailed instructions.
Article Review Papers:
There will be 6-7 journal articles assigned throughout the semester. You will be required to write two (2)
short review papers on two of the articles (I assign the first paper but you get to choose the second paper).
Your review paper should range between 1000-1250 words in length. Your review papers should
summarize the main theme of the article, its importance for understanding aspects of human/primate
behavioral ecology, the methodology of the paper, and overall conclusion. You will also need to discuss
the positive and negative aspects of the paper. Additionally, you must make recommendations for future
research directions by discussing what you would have done differently.
The purpose of these papers is for you condense and summarize key information that is the core of a
paper’s argument (learning to get to the point). You will be given the opportunity to revise Review Paper
1 in order to gain some experience with the editing process.
These reviews are to be double-spaced with 1-inch margins and in 12pt Times Roman font.
REQUIREMENTS:
Class participation & reading questions
Midterm Exam
Review Paper One
Review Paper Two
Research Paper
Total Points
50 points
100 points
50 points
50 points
100 points
350 points
Exam Schedule:
Midterm
Thursday, 16 October,
Course Outline:
Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Topic
Introduction; Theoretical Approaches to
Social Behavior
Social Evolution
Life History Theory and Perspectives
Evolution and Reproduction
The Three Fs: Food, Foraging, &
Females
Female Social Strategies
Review Paper 1 Due – 9 October
Male Social Strategies
Midterm Exam
16 October;
Fall Break
Tai Forest Chimpanzees
Tai Forest Chimpanzee Aggression,
Territoriality, Hunting, & Tool-use
Modern Human Foragers: !Kung, Pumé,
PBE 1, 2, 4, 9, 5, 6, 7
Readings
PBE1 (pp 1-36);
PBE2 (pp 37-50)
PBE4 (pp 99-140)
PBE9 (pp 272-299)
PBE5 (pp141-178)
PBE6 (pp179-208)
PBE7 (pp 209-242)
PBE8 (pp 243-271)
B&B (pp 1-65)
B&B (pp 66-127)
B&B (pp 128-157;
158-190; 191-224)
Howell (pp 3-46;
11
12
13
& others.
Population Demographics
Health, Morbidity & Mortality
Forager Fertility, Reproduction,
Marriage, & Remarriage
Annual meeting of the American
Anthropological Assoc. (19-23 Nov.);
Thanksgiving Break (27-30 Nov.)
Evolution of Human Childhood
Childhood (continued)
Review Paper 2 Due – 11 December
47-97)
Howell (pp 137166; 227-252)
H&L (Chap 1; 3; 5;
6)
H&L (Chap 8; 9;
10; 12)