Primate Social Behaviour

Course goals

After completing the module the student is able to:

• Understand current insights in the discussed topics concerning primate social behaviour and skills
• Compare and integrate primary literature
• Formulate questions and discuss the topic

Content

Although human’s capacities for emotions, morality, empathy, cooperation, culture and language have long been regarded as unique to our species, recent scientific evidence suggests that many aspects of these capacities are shared with non-human animals, and that they use these capacities in a myriad of social situations. In particular the behaviour of our closest living relatives, the primates, may provide insight in the biological origin of these capacities. In this master class, students from a wide variety of disciplines will discuss these topics with Prof. Liesbeth Sterck, Dr. Jorg Massen, Dr. Edwin van Leeuwen, Dr. Tom Roth en Dr. Anne Marijke Schel from the Animal Behaviour and Cognition group, Utrecht University. The course involves reading of the indicated literature and following of three compulsory lectures, which are discussed in a plenary discussion after each lecture. The discussed topics are: Lecture 1: Emotions and empathy; Lecture 2: Cooperation and Morality; Lecture 3: Culture and Language. The course will be examined with a digital (computer) exam consisting of multiple choice and open questions.

At the end of the course, students should have a profound understanding of:

1. Current insights in the biological origins of the addressed topics, in particular in relation to the social behaviour and skills of extant primate species

At the end of the course, students should be able to:

1. Compare and integrate primary literature
2. Formulate questions and discuss the topics

Enrollment/ subscription: this does NOT go via OSIRIS, but through a google form, which will be distributed across all master programs of Utrecht University in Feb 2025.

Examination Digital exam consisting of open and multiple choice questions

Further information masterclass.bio@uu.nl

This master course is open for students from all master programs of Utrecht University.
The number of students that can participate from specific master programs or a cluster of master programs will be restricted. A total of 100 students can be enrolled for this course.
Students will be admitted in the order of their registration.