Experimental field studies with non-human primates
Experimental field studies with non-human primates
复制标题
DOI：
10.1016/j.conb.2014.07.012
复制
发表时间：
2014-10
影响因子：
5.7
通讯作者：
K. Zuberbühler
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
K. Zuberbühler
野外实验是研究灵长类动物行为的有力工具。灵长类动物的交流可以为人类语言进化提供理论依据。类人猿长期以来一直被排除在野外实验之外。不同的实验设计可以解决一系列的研究问题。实现是出了名的困难和耗时。研究语言进化的一种方法是将人类的交流与密切相关的非人灵长类动物进行比较。如果研究对象是在它们进化的自然野外条件下进行研究，这种比较方法就会变得特别有成效。已经发展了各种观测技术，但往往需要实地实验来澄清潜在的因果关系。在这里，我回顾了主要的实验设计，适合灵长类动物的野外工作，并讨论了一些科学进展，他们已经产生。现场实验是出了名的难以进行的一系列原因讨论。尽管如此，近年来已经取得了相当大的进展，包括对传统上在野外实验研究中被忽视的类人猿的研究。
HighlightsField experiments are a powerful tool to investigate primate behaviour.Primate communication can inform theories of human language evolution.Great apes have been long been excepted from experiments in the wild.Different experimental designs can address a range research questions.Implementation is notoriously difficult and time-consuming.One way to study language evolution is to compare human communication with closely related non-human primate species. This comparative approach has turned to be especially productive if subjects are studied under natural field conditions in which they have evolved. Various observation techniques have been developed, but field experiments are often needed to clarify underlying cause–effect relations. Here, I review the main experimental designs that are suitable for primate fieldwork and discuss some scientific advancements that they have generated. Field experiments are notoriously difficult to carry out for a range of reasons that are discussed. Nonetheless, considerable progress has been made in recent years, including with great apes, which have traditionally been neglected in experimental research in the wild.