ANTH 355: EXPLORING PRIMATE BEHAVIOR
T & TH 11:00 – 12:15 PM
FAC 1014
INSTRUCTOR:
Dr. Erin P. Riley
Office: Arts & Letters 457
Email: epriley@mail.sdsu.edu
Web: www.erinpriley.com
Phone: 619.594.8628
Office hours: Mon 4 – 5 pm
Tues 1 - 2 pm
or by appointment
Graduate Assistant:
Kristen Smith
ksmith892@gmail.com
Office hours: Wed 11 am, Storm Hall 225
COURSE OVERVIEW
The goal of this course is to explore what it means to be a primate. Primates include the
enigmatic aye-aye, the nut-cracking capuchin monkeys, the beloved gorillas, and of course,
ourselves. We will begin with learning the defining characteristics of primates, and the taxonomy
and distribution of the living nonhuman primates. We will then explore in more detail various
aspects of primate behavior such as feeding ecology, reproduction, and social behavior, as well
as some current hot topics in primate behavior (e.g., self-medication, nonhuman primate
intelligence and culture, and human-nonhuman primate interactions). Given that approximately
50% of the world’s remaining primates are threatened with extinction, we will conclude with a
discussion about the practice and process of primate conservation.
v This is a General Education Explorations course in Natural Sciences (IV. A).
Completing this course will help you learn to do the following with greater depth:
1. Explain basic concepts and theories of the natural sciences;
2. Use logic and scientific methods to analyze the natural world and solve
problems;
3. Argue from multiple perspectives about issues in natural science that have
personal and global relevance;
4. Use technology in laboratory and field situations to connect concepts and
theories with real-world phenomena.
BLACKBOARD (BB)
This course is a web facilitated course, using Blackboard. All students can access the course
Blackboard using their SDSU red ID login and password at
https://blackboard.sdsu.edu/webapps/login. All homework will be completed online via BB.
v I regularly send emails through Blackboard to the class. Therefore, please be sure to
frequently check the email address associated with your BB account.
ANTH 355 | Spring 2015
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
(1) Explain why scientists, particularly anthropologists, study nonhuman primates
(2) Identify the similarities and differences between nonhuman primates and humans
(3) Identify the major taxonomic categories of primates and their geographical distribution
(4) Explain the advantages and disadvantages of sociality among primates
(5) Describe the relationship between the environment and behavior among nonhuman
primates
(6) Identify which primates are threatened with extinction and explain why
(7) Develop skills in observing and interpreting primate behavior
(8) Practice skills in problem solving and written communication
(9) Review and summarize key findings from scientific research publications on primate
behavior
REQUIRED TEXTS
(1) Ciochon, R.L. and R.A. Nisbett, ed. 1998. The Primate Anthology. Prentice Hall, Upper
Saddle River, NJ
Ø THIS BOOK WILL BE ON RESERVE (2-HR) AT THE SDSU LIBRARY
(2) We will also read online articles and primary literature in primatology, as well as watch
videos related to the topics covered. These readings and videos will be posted as urls or
pdfs on Blackboard under “Readings & Videos” (see course schedule)
(3) Also required is a College Study Pass to the San Diego Zoo (cost = $25)
BUYING YOUR BOOKS AT AMAZON?
If you buy your texts through Amazon, please remember to access Amazon using the
link on the American Society of Primatologists webpage. A portion of the proceeds
will support primate conservation!
Here's the link: https://www.asp.org/index.cfm
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Your overall grade for this course will be based on four components:
Exams
Homework
Zoo project
Class participation
= 60%
= 15%
= 15%
= 10%
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ANTH 355 | Spring 2015
Details regarding each component are as follows:
Ø Exams: There will be a total of 3 exams that will be based on lectures, assigned
readings, and videos/films. Each exam is worth 20% of your grade.
o Please be on time. If you arrive late, you will NOT be allowed extra time. NO
EXCEPTIONS!
o Q: What will the format be?
§ A: The exams will consist of multiple-choice and true-false questions
(75% of exam score) and one short essay question (25% of exam score).
• Prior to each exam you will receive a list of possible short essay
questions. For the exam you will be asked to answer one of these.
Please note that your grade will be affected by the quality of your
writing (i.e., sentence construction, spelling, grammar, etc.).
• The grading scheme used to grade the short essay questions is
posted on Blackboard under “Course Documents.” Please review
this before the exams.
o
Q: Will a study guide be provided?
§ A: Yes. I will provide a study guide at least one week before each exam.
o
Q: What did I need to bring for the exam?
§ A: You must bring a small, red, PARSCORE form and a No. 2 pencil to
each exam.
o
Q: Is the exam held during the final exam time cumulative?
§ A: No. The exam held during the course’s final exam slot will be the third
exam. It will cover material from Exam 2 until the last day of class.
The third exam will be similar to the first two exams in terms of length but
you will have 2 hours to complete it (except if you are also doing the
make-up exam—see policy below).
Ø Homework: Homework assignments (approximately every week to every other week)
will be based on readings and videos. The purpose of these assignments will be to
prepare you for class and to assess your understanding of the material presented. All
homework is to be completed online on Blackboard. You will have up until 15
minutes prior to class to submit your homework. See course schedule for due dates.
o Homeworks will be made available 1 week before they are due. You can attempt
each HW as many times as you need. The highest grade of all attempts per HW
will be the score recorded.
o I recommend that you print or save a screen shot of each completed
assignment.
o Q: What will the HWs cover?:
§ A: HW #1 will be a quiz based on the information presented in the
syllabus. HW #2 will cover all readings & videos up to that day. HW #3
will cover everything since HW #2, and so forth…
o See last page for TIPS on how to avoid problems completing HW on BB
Ø Zoo project: This project will entail you conducting observations of primates at the San
Diego Zoo. Because of this off-campus component, you will need to complete a required
fieldtrip liability waiver (submit by Feb 5th at the latest). The zoo offers discounted passes
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ANTH 355 | Spring 2015
for students ($25) which are good for the semester. You can pick up your pass at the
Guest Relations booth at the zoo—be sure to bring your student ID!
o Assignment: You will be assigned a primate species at the zoo to observe. The
goal of the assignment will be for you to investigate differences in activity among
the age/sex classes of your study group.
o The project will require: observations of primate behavior, calculations of rates of
behavior, library/online database research, and a formal write-up in the form of a
scientific report (approx. 4 pages of typed text).
§ I will provide more details later in the semester.
o To prepare you for this assignment I will have the two in-class lessons: Methods
in Observing Behavior & Scientific Research (see class schedule below)
Ø Class participation: I will assess your class participation by randomly assigning in-class
exercises and worksheets. These exercises will be frequent, so it is in your best interest
to always attend class. The exercises will provide a means for me to assess your
understanding of the material being covered, as well as a chance for you to work with
others in the class. These exercises will be turned in at the end of the class and graded
as 100 (effort) or 80 (little/no effort). Please note that if you were NOT present in class
for an exercise you will NOT receive credit for it.
Ø How do the course requirements meet GE course objectives?
GENERAL EDUCATION COURSE OBJECTIVES
COURSE
REQUIREMENTS
Explain natural
science concepts
& theories
Exams
X
Homework
X
Zoo Project
Class participation
Use methods to
analyze natural
world
X
Argue from
multiple
perspectives
X
X
X
X
Connect
theories to
real-world
X
X
COURSE POLICIES
§ Attendance policy: Class attendance is mandatory. Exams will be based almost
exclusively on class lectures, so you will not do well in the class if you do not come to class.
Please understand that if you do miss class, you are responsible for the missed material
(including any handouts given and/or announcements made). I would recommend borrowing
notes from a classmate, as I do not hand-out or post full lecture notes or powerpoints.
o NOTE: If you would like to tape record lectures, please come talk to me first.
§
Classroom behavior:
o You are expected to complete the readings and assignments before coming to class.
I also expect students to participate during discussions and in-class exercises.
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ANTH 355 | Spring 2015
o
o
o
o
Please be on time. It is extremely disrupting for the instructor and other students
when students arrive late to class (AND to leave early).
Please do not have conversations with other classmates once the lectures begin,
except those that are a part of our class discussions. Personal conversations are
distracting for both myself and your fellow classmates, so please be courteous.
Students who are particularly disruptive will be given one (1) warning; after
which if their disruptive behavior continues they will be asked to leave the
class.
Please turn off and secure all electronic entertainment devices (i.e., cell phones,
iPods, etc.) prior to the start of class. If you are using your cell phone in class,
you are missing out on a lot of information. SO, it’s in YOUR best interest to
just put your phones away.
NOTE: The use of any such devices during examinations and quizzes could lead to
an accusation of academic dishonesty.
§
Email: Email is the best way to get in touch with myself and your teaching assistants.
However, please keep in the mind the following points on email etiquette:
o Remember that I teach multiple classes so please be sure to your give full name &
course number either in the subject or the body of the email.
o Please check your syllabus first for information BEFORE you email me. If you
have questions about the course, it is likely that the information is in the syllabus.
o Be sure to keep your questions concise and specific. If you have a problem with
the material, please come see me during office hours as it will be easier for us to
address the issue in person.
o Please be formal and respectful in your emails, and most certainly, do not vent to
me or your TAs via email. Come talk to us!
o Please be patient with email communication. I receive many emails a day, but do
know that I will get back to as soon as I can.
o Email through Blackboard should only be used for course related business.
§
Laptops: I DO NOT allow students to use laptops in this class. The only exception is
for those that have an authorized disability that inhibits note taking by hand. If that applies to
you, be prepared to show documentation from SDSU Disability Services.
§
Make-up exam policy: The ONLY make-up exam that I will give will be a cumulative exam
held during the second hour of the final exam time. To be eligible you must provide
documentation/evidence of a severe illness, injury, or family emergency.
§
Late Papers: Your homework assignments are due (on Blackboard) up to 15 minutes
before class begins. No late homework assignments will be accepted. The zoo project must
be submitted in person; that is, emailed submissions will not be accepted. Zoo project
papers turned in late (only in person) will receive a 5 percentage point deduction for each
day they are late.
§
Academic Dishonesty: I will not tolerate academic dishonesty in this course. Academic
dishonesty includes cheating, plagiarizing, unauthorized collaborating on course work,
letting students copy your work, stealing course examinations or materials, falsifying records
or data, or intentionally assisting another individual in any of the above. Please familiarize
yourself with SDSU’s policies ASAP at the following websites:
http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/srr/judicial/detailsMisconduct.html and
http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/srr/judicial/CheatingDisruption.html. Students who engage in ANY
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ANTH 355 | Spring 2015
form of academic dishonesty will receive an "F" for the course grade and will be
reported to the Anthropology Department's Undergraduate Coordinator and SDSU’s
Judicial Coordinator, who will then take appropriate action.
§
Physical and Learning Disabilities: If you are a student with a disability and believe you
will need accommodations for this class, it is your responsibility to contact Student Disability
Services at (619) 594-6473. Student Disabilities Services is responsible for providing
appropriate academic accommodations for students with disabilities. To avoid any delay in
the receipt of your accommodations, you should contact Student Disability Services as soon
as possible. Please note that accommodations are not retroactive, and that
accommodations based upon disability cannot be provided until you have presented me with
an accommodation letter from Student Disability Services. Your cooperation is appreciated.
For more information see: http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/dss/dss_home.html
§
Athletes: Please know that it is your responsibility to discuss with me your athletic
schedule by the second week of the semester (at the latest) to ensure that you will be able
to complete all required assignments.
GRADING
Exams and homework will be graded based on points. The zoo project will be graded as follows:
100, 95, 90, 85, 80 etc. I will provide a grading rubric for these assignments later in the
semester. Final grades in the course will be assigned to the following scales, based on
percentages:
A = 93 – 100; A- = 90 – 92.9; B+ = 87 – 89.9; B = 83 – 86.9; B- = 80 – 82.9; C+ = 77 –
79.9; C = 73 – 76.9; C- = 70 – 72.9; D+ = 67 – 69.9; D = 63 – 66.9; D- =60 – 62.9; F <60
v How do I calculate my final grade? See sample computation below
Item
Average
Grade
% of Total
Grade
Total
Exams
88
60%
(88 x.60) = 52.8
Homework
93
15%
(93 x .15) = 13.95
Zoo Project
90
15%
(90 x .15) = 13.5
Class Participation
assignments
TOTAL
100
10%
(100 x .10) = 10
100%
SUM = 90.25
Final grade = A-
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ANTH 355 | Spring 2015
COURSE OUTLINE & SCHEDULE
The schedule below indicates the topics, readings, and assignments due for each class. Please
note that this schedule is tentative and I reserve the right to make changes as deemed
necessary. Any changes will be announced in class and on the announcements page on BB.
** Students absent from class are responsible for determining if any changes were announced **
Week
Date
Topic
Readings / Videos
1
1/22
Introduction & Review of Syllabus
2
1/27
Studying Primates: Why & Where?
N & A: Ch.1 (pdf)
1/29
What is a Primate?
N & A: Ch. 2 (pdf)
C & N: Backdrop (text)
BB: HW #1
(Syllabus quiz)
Primate Classification & Distribution
3
2/3
Primate Classification & Distribution
cont.
Video #1: “The Making of Snow
Monkeys” (url)
BB: HW #2
2/5
Meet the Primates
C & N: pp. 133-139 & Ch. 31
(text)
Submit signed
fieldtrip waiver
form (in class)
Video #2: Primates sleeping in
caves (url)
4
Due
2/10
History of Primatology
Donati et al., 2009 (pdf)
Introduction to Behavioral Ecology
2/12
Primate Bodies & Diets
C & N: Ch. 23, 24, 27 (text)
Video #3. Primate size
determines diet (url)
5
2/17
Primate Bodies & Diets cont.
Gebo 2012 – Primate
locomotion (url)
BB: HW #3
Video #4: Natal coat coloration
and locomotion (url)
2/19
6
2/24
2/26
EXAM #1
Food as Medicine
C & N: Ch. 7 & 26 (text)
Evolution of Sociality: Why Live in
Groups?
Swedell 2012 – Primate
sociality (url)
Studying Sociality
Zhang et al., 2006 (pdf)
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ANTH 355 | Spring 2015
7
3/3
Life in a (big) Group
Primate Spotlight: The Snub-nosed
Monkeys
Abassi 2013 – NW monkey
faces (url)
BB: HW #4
Press release 2013 – OW
monkeys faces (url)
Video #5: Why monkeys & apes
have colorful faces (url)
3/5
Competition & Aggression I.
Chapman & Teichroeb 2012 –
Primate group sizes (url)
Sapolsky 2007 – Peace among
primates
8
9
3/10
Primate Spotlight: “The Funkiest
Monkeys”
3/12
Competition & Aggression cont
C & N: Ch. 9
Affiliation & Reconciliation
Video #6: TED talk – Frans de
Waal – Morality in primates
Primate Communication
C & N: Ch. 8, 33
3/17
BB: HW #5
Zuberbuhler 2012 – Primate
communication (url)
Video #7: Gelada monkey
melodies (url)
3/19
Primate Communication & Language
Slocombe et al. 2011 (pdf)
BB: HW #6
Video #8: Studying primate
communication (url)
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3/24
3/26
EXAM #2
In-class Lesson: Methods in Observing
Behavior
Martin & Bateson 2007 (pdf)
(Zoo project assignment)
Review online
lecture on
“methods”
Complete
practice
exercise on
methods
handout &
bring to class
3/30–
4/3
11
SPRING BREAK!!
4/7
Primate Culture
Video #9: The Cultured Ape part 1 of 6 (url)
4/9
Primate Culture cont.
Hopper & Brosnan 2012 –
Primate cognition (url)
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ANTH 355 | Spring 2015
12
13
4/14
In-Class Lesson: Scientific Research
(Zoo project assignment)
Hailman & Strier 2005 (pdf)
Davis 2005, Appendix (pdf)
Davis 2005, Ch. 4 (pdf)
Paterson ch. 5 (pdf)
4/16
Sex & Reproduction
C & N: Ch. 2, 5
4/21
Sex & Reproduction cont.
C & N: Ch. 20, 25
4/23
Primates in Ecological Communities I:
Polyspecific Associations
Lambert 2012 – Primates in
communities (url)
Review online
lecture on
“scientific
writing”
BB: HW #7
(does not
include
readings from
4/14)
C & N: Ch. 16 -18
14
15
4/28
Primates in Ecological Communities II:
Human-Nonhuman Primate Interactions
C & N: Ch. 30, 32
Fuentes & Hockings 2010 (pdf)
Riley 2010 (pdf)
4/30
Primate Conservation in the Wild
Chapman & Gogarten 2012 –
Primate conservation (url)
5/5
Primate Conservation in the Wild cont.
C & N: pp. 193-197 & Ch. 28
Estrada 2013 (pdf)
5/7
Primate Conservation in Zoos
Nijman 2006 (pdf)
5/12
Zoo Project
Due (in class)
BB: HW #8
EXAM #3
Note time: 10:30 am – 12:30 pm
-
For readings/videos:
o C & N: Ciochon & Nisbett (Primate Anthology)
o Author names = pdf or url articles posted on Blackboard
o All videos are posted on Blackboard
-
BB: assignment should be completed online on Blackboard
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ANTH 355 | Spring 2015
TIPS ABOUT BB: How to Avoid Problems Completing your Online Homework Assignments and
Frequently Asked Questions
Use Firefox as your browser
Do not Save your Blackboard Assignments (HOM when In Progress
Students should not use the Save Button during a test. This feature does not work. Complete your
assignments on the first attempt by answering all questions and then pressing Submit.
Browser Windows Should Not Be Resized or Refreshed During an Assignment
If a student resizes the window, the assessment will stop and no score will be recorded. In the Blackboard
Gradebook you will receive an "Incomplete Attempt" message for that student. You may opt to clear the
student's attempt and allow that student to re-take the assessment. We recommend that students do not
resize or refresh a browser window while taking an assignment to eliminate this problem.
Advice About Essay Questions
When answering essay questions, we recommend that students write their essays in a word processing
program and copy and paste them into Blackboard. This way, if the individual computer crashes, or there
are problems with the server, a student's work would not be entirely lost.
Print Your Score (or take a screen shot)
Print your score (or take a screen shot) after your homework assignment is completed, so that you can
provide evidence of your earned score to the instructor if there is a technical problem.
Specific Steps for Student Test Score Printing:
Upon finishing a test and clicking the Submit button. The student should then click OK. The student's total
score will then be displayed for the quiz attempt. Immediately in their browser program, students should
then go to the File menu and choose Print. Student should keep this printout in case it is needed for quiz
score verification.
Can Students Preview an Assignment?
No. Do not take or "preview" the assignment until you are actually ready to take it. If students "preview"
the assignment or begin it and then log out (manually or by quitting out of the browser) Blackboard will not
let them back in to take or finish the assignment. The students will receive a "Sorry you already took this
assessment on (date) and (time)" message. The only time you can "preview" an assignment is when the
instructor has specifically advised you that s/he is allowing "multiple attempts." This means that a student
can take the quiz as many times as they would like. Blackboard always retains the most recent score, not
the highest score. This function is good for practice or review.
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