Anthropomorphism, Anthropocentrism, and Anecdote: Primatologists on Primatology

Rees, Amanda

doi:10.1177/016224390102600205

Cited by 27 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Primatology was a field that challenged human exceptionality and misogyny, and broke down international barriers (Strum and Fedigan ). Despite this rather informed and self‐aware method of science, primatology has struggled (and largely still struggles) with race, gender, and ethical issues (Antón, Malhi, and Fuentes ; Haraway ; Rees ; Turner et al. ).…”

Section: Natural History and The History Of Primatologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For the latter researchers, many things like emotions, thoughts, and pain apply equally (or at least closely) between humans and animals (Asquith ), and are thus valid areas of scientific inquiry. Primatologists are uniquely situated in the anthropomorphism debate as those who study the closest living relatives of humans (Haraway ; Rees ). Indeed, the emerging field of ethnoprimatology seeks to break down these barriers even further and engage with animals and humans as members of the same ecological communities rather than separate forces (Fuentes ; Malone et al.…”

Section: Anecdotal Evidence Within Primatologymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Anecdotes in Primatology: Temporal Trends, Anthropocentrism, and Hierarchies of Knowledge

Ramsay

Teichroeb

2019

American Anthropologist

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Formal narrative descriptions of primates have long been used by primatologists to describe novel events that are not captured by other data collection methods. However, there has been a shift away from narrative accounts toward more quantitative methods both within primatology and more broadly in the natural sciences.Our objective was to investigate the shifting use of anecdotal evidence in primatology. We systematically reviewed anecdotal accounts published in the four major primatology journals since the year 2000. We found 163 published anecdotal accounts out of 3,960 total articles published between 2000 and 2016. There was an overall decrease in the rates of anecdotes published during this time. Those published covered a wide range of topics and taxa but were skewed toward larger, diurnal primates-in particular, apes. We suggest that anecdotal evidence should continue to be published but that the publication of these data should better reflect the taxonomic diversity of primates. We also suggest potential venues for anecdote publication that may compensate for their loss from formal scientific journals. [narratives, qualitative data, anthropomorphic, primates, observation] RESUMEN Las descripciones narrativas formales de primates han sido utilizadas por largo tiempo por primatólogos para describir eventos novedosos que no son capturados por otros métodos de colección de datos. Sin embargo, ha habido un distanciamiento de los relatos narrativos hacia métodos más cuantitativos tanto dentro de la primatología como más ampliamente en las ciencias naturales. Nuestro objetivo era investigar el uso cambiante de evidencia anecdótica en primatología. Revisamos sistemáticamente los relatos anecdóticos publicados en las cuatro revistas académicas principales de primatología desde el año 2000. Encontramos 163 relatos anecdóticos publicados de un total de 3.960 artículos. Hubo una disminución general en las tasas de anécdotas publicadas durante este tiempo.Aquellas publicadas cubrían un amplio rango de temas y taxones, pero estaban sesgadas hacia primates diurnos, más grandes -en particular, simios. Sugerimos que la evidencia anecdótica debe continuar siendo publicada, pero que la publicación de estos datos debe reflejar mejor la diversidad taxonómica de los primates. También sugerimos lugares potenciales para la publicación de anécdotas que pueden compensar por su pérdida de las revistas académicas formales. [narrativas, datos cualitativos, antropomórfico, primates, observación] RÉSUMÉ Des descriptions narratives formelles ont longtempsété utilisées par les primatologues pour décrire des phénomènes nouveaux observés. Toutefois, une transition vers l'utilisation de méthodes quantitatives plutôt que de comptes-rendus narratifs a progressivementété observée en primatologie. L'objectif de cette recherché etait d'examiner cette transition en faisant une revue systématique des comptes-rendus anecdotiques publiés dans

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Section: Natural History and The History Of Primatologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Anecdotal Evidence Within Primatologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Anecdotes in Primatology: Temporal Trends, Anthropocentrism, and Hierarchies of Knowledge

Ramsay

Teichroeb

2019

American Anthropologist

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“…To date, discussion of anthropomorphism has focused most acutely on primates, presumably because they are the closest relatives of Homo sapiens (Rees 2001;Sober 2005). Yet, some consideration has also been applied to aquatic mammals, including whales, dolphins, and sea lions (Sohusterman and Gisiner 1997;Peace 2005;Servais 2005}.…”

Section: Anthropomorphism the Body And Childrenmentioning

confidence: 99%

Embodying Anthropomorphism: Contextualizing Commonality in the Material Landscape

Lulka

2008

Anthrozoös

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The status of anthropomorphism has changed in reoent decades, allowing for in-depth consideration of its meaning and saiience. Advocates of anthropomorphism have put forth a series of scientific and theoretical arguments to establish the concept's legitimacy. Nonetheless, while many advocates of anthropomorphism criticize the scientific worldview that objectifies nonhumans, their arguments still retan a cognitive perspective that implicitly reaffirms human-nonhuman hierarchies. This paper challenges these notions by accentuating the role of material factors in the formation and dissemination of anthropomorphic thought. These materials include human and nonhuman bodies, as well as the physicality of the external environment. This paper also examines the different ways in which social factors blend with these material factors to bring about anthropomorphic thinking. To clarify these issues, this paper examines an ongoing human conflict with harbor seals in La Jolla, California to illustrate these points. It concludes by suggesting that materialist articulations of anthropomorphism may foster an ethical perspective with environmental significance.

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“…This is the kind of thinking that has really revolutionised animal behaviour in general, not just primate field studies." (Rees, 2001a;p233) It seems more than possible that psychologists, who tend to work in one of a half-dozen or more competing schools of psychological thought, may feel a similar need for unity and a more coherent theoretical underpinning to their work (e.g. Richards, 2002).…”

Section: 'Broad' and 'Narrow' Evolutionary Psychologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolutionary psychology as public science and boundary work

Cassidy

2006

Public Underst Sci

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This paper explores the phenomena of public scientific debates, where scientific controversies are argued out in public fora such as the mass media, using the case of popular evolutionary psychology in the UK of the 1990s. An earlier quantitative analysis of the UK press coverage of the subject (Cassidy, 2005) suggested that academics associated with evolutionary psychology had been unusually active in the media at that time, particularly in association with the publication of popular science books on the subject. Previous research by Turner (1980), Gieryn (1983), and Bucchi (1996) has established the relationship between such appeals to the public domain and the establishment of scientific legitimacy and academic disciplinary boundaries. Following this work, I argue here that popular science has in this case provided a creative space for scientists, outside of the constraints of ordinary academic discourse, allowing them to reach across scientific boundaries in order to claim expertise in the study of human beings.

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Anthropomorphism, Anthropocentrism, and Anecdote: Primatologists on Primatology

Cited by 27 publications

References 7 publications

Anecdotes in Primatology: Temporal Trends, Anthropocentrism, and Hierarchies of Knowledge

Anecdotes in Primatology: Temporal Trends, Anthropocentrism, and Hierarchies of Knowledge

Embodying Anthropomorphism: Contextualizing Commonality in the Material Landscape

Evolutionary psychology as public science and boundary work

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