humanbean
03-10-2011, 03:25 AM
here's an excerpt from wikipedia's entry on the Bonobo, a close genetic relation to the Common Chimpanzee and, disputibly, a closer relative to us than any other primate in existance:
Psychological characteristics
The neutrality of this section is disputed. Please see the discussion on the talk page. Please do not remove this message until the dispute is resolved. (August 2010)
Frans de Waal, one of the world's most respected and popular primatologists, states that the Bonobo is capable of altruism, compassion, empathy, kindness, patience, and sensitivity. How peaceful Bonobos are has been disputed by some, however.
Observations in the wild indicate that the males among the related Common Chimpanzee communities are extraordinarily hostile to males from outside the community. Parties of males 'patrol' for the unfortunate neighbouring males who might be traveling alone, and attack those single males, often killing them. This does not appear to be the behavior of the Bonobo males or females in their own communities, where they seem to prefer sexual contact over violent confrontation with outsiders. In fact, the Japanese scientists who have spent the most time working with wild Bonobos describe the species as extraordinarily peaceful, and De Waal has documented how Bonobos may often resolve conflicts with sexual contact (hence the "make love – not war" characterization for the species). However, conflict is still possible between rival groups of Bonobos: the Congolese researcher Mola Ihomi has reported confrontations between bands of Bonobos which result in physical violence, sometimes resulting in serious injuries from bite wounds. Bonobos live in different areas from the more aggressive Common Chimpanzee.[32] Neither of the species swims, and their respective ranges are separated by the Congo River with Bonobos living south of the river and Chimpanzees living north of the river. It has been hypothesized that Bonobos are able to live a more peaceful lifestyle in part because of an abundance of nutritious vegetation in their natural habitat, allowing them to travel and forage in large parties.
The popular image of the Bonobo as a peaceful ape does not always apply to captive populations. Accounts exist of Bonobos confined in zoos mutilating one another and engaging in bullying. These incidents may be due to the practice in zoos of separating mothers and sons, which is contrary to their social organization in the wild. Bonobo society is dominated by females, and severing the lifelong alliance between mothers and their male offspring may make them vulnerable to female aggression. De Waal has warned of the danger of romanticizing Bonobos: "All animals are competitive by nature and cooperative only under specific circumstances" as well as writing that "when first writing about their behavior, I spoke of 'sex for peace' precisely because bonobos had plenty of conflicts. There would obviously be no need for peacemaking if they lived in perfect harmony". Because research of Bonobos in the wild is still immature compared to that of the Common Chimpanzee, lethal aggression between Bonobos could still be discovered.
Hohmann and Surbeck published in 2008 that Bonobos sometimes do hunt monkey species. Having observed a group of Bonobos in Salonga National Park, they witnessed five incidents in five years in which Bonobos preyed on monkeys. Their research indicates it was deliberate hunting in which a group of Bonobos would coordinate their actions – contrary to their normal hunting behaviour which is quite solitary and less purposeful. On three occasions, the hunt was successful and infant monkeys were captured.
[edit]Social behavior
Bonobo fishing for termites
Most studies indicate that females have a higher social status in Bonobo society, though some field work suggests that Bonobo troops are led by an alpha male (though females in this scenario are not subordinate to all adult males as is the case with Chimpanzees).[33] Aggressive encounters between males and females are rare, and males are tolerant of infants and juveniles. A male's status is derived from the status of his mother. The mother-son bond often stays strong and continues throughout life. While social hierarchies do exist, rank plays a less prominent role than in other primate societies.
Bonobo party size tends to vary because the groups exhibit a fission-fusion pattern. A community of approximately 100 will split into small groups during the day while looking for food, and then comes back together to sleep. They sleep in trees in nests that they construct.
[edit]Sexual social behavior
Sexual intercourse plays a major role in Bonobo society observed in captivity, being used as what some scientists perceive as a greeting, a means of conflict resolution, and post-conflict reconciliation. Bonobos are the only non-human animal to have been observed engaging in all of the following sexual activities: face-to-face genital sex, tongue kissing, and oral sex[34] (although a pair of Western Gorillas have been photographed performing face to face genital sex[35]). In scientific literature, the female-female behavior of touching genitals together is often referred to as GG rubbing or genital-genital rubbing. The sexual activity happens within the immediate family as well as outside it. Bonobos do not form permanent relationships with individual partners. They also do not seem to discriminate in their sexual behavior by sex or age, with the possible exception of abstaining from sexual intercourse between mothers and their adult sons; some observers believe these pairings are taboo. When Bonobos come upon a new food source or feeding ground, the increased excitement will usually lead to communal sexual activity, presumably decreasing tension and encouraging peaceful feeding.[36]
Bonobo males occasionally engage in various forms of male-male genital behavior.[37][38] In one form, two males hang from a tree limb face-to-face while "penis fencing".[39][40] This also may occur when two males rub their penises together while in face-to-face position. Another form of genital interaction, called "rump rubbing", occurs to express reconciliation between two males after a conflict, when they stand back-to-back and rub their scrotal sacs together. Takayoshi Kano observed similar practices among Bonobos in the natural habitat.
Bonobo females also engage in female-female genital behavior, possibly to bond socially with each other, thus forming a female nucleus of Bonobo society. The bonding among females enables them to dominate Bonobo society. Although male Bonobos are individually stronger, they cannot stand alone against a united group of females.[40] Adolescent females often leave their native community to join another community. Sexual bonding with other females establishes these new females as members of the group. This migration mixes the Bonobo gene pools, providing genetic diversity.
Bonobo reproductive rates are not any higher than that of the Common Chimpanzee. Female Bonobos carry and nurse their young for five years and can give birth every five to six years. Compared to Common Chimpanzees, Bonobo females resume the genital swelling cycle much sooner after giving birth, enabling them to rejoin the sexual activities of their society. Also, Bonobo females who are sterile or too young to reproduce still engage in sexual activity.
so, to recap a few points of most relevant interest; 1) bonobo's are matriarchal thru indirect means(sexual seduction & conquest) 2)also by sexual means, the females can defuse male aggression 3)lesbian activity among females creates strong bonds between them that creates social groupings that are fully capable of ganging up on the rare rogue male.
the Carrot as opposed to the Stick, but, female domination none-the-less.
Psychological characteristics
The neutrality of this section is disputed. Please see the discussion on the talk page. Please do not remove this message until the dispute is resolved. (August 2010)
Frans de Waal, one of the world's most respected and popular primatologists, states that the Bonobo is capable of altruism, compassion, empathy, kindness, patience, and sensitivity. How peaceful Bonobos are has been disputed by some, however.
Observations in the wild indicate that the males among the related Common Chimpanzee communities are extraordinarily hostile to males from outside the community. Parties of males 'patrol' for the unfortunate neighbouring males who might be traveling alone, and attack those single males, often killing them. This does not appear to be the behavior of the Bonobo males or females in their own communities, where they seem to prefer sexual contact over violent confrontation with outsiders. In fact, the Japanese scientists who have spent the most time working with wild Bonobos describe the species as extraordinarily peaceful, and De Waal has documented how Bonobos may often resolve conflicts with sexual contact (hence the "make love – not war" characterization for the species). However, conflict is still possible between rival groups of Bonobos: the Congolese researcher Mola Ihomi has reported confrontations between bands of Bonobos which result in physical violence, sometimes resulting in serious injuries from bite wounds. Bonobos live in different areas from the more aggressive Common Chimpanzee.[32] Neither of the species swims, and their respective ranges are separated by the Congo River with Bonobos living south of the river and Chimpanzees living north of the river. It has been hypothesized that Bonobos are able to live a more peaceful lifestyle in part because of an abundance of nutritious vegetation in their natural habitat, allowing them to travel and forage in large parties.
The popular image of the Bonobo as a peaceful ape does not always apply to captive populations. Accounts exist of Bonobos confined in zoos mutilating one another and engaging in bullying. These incidents may be due to the practice in zoos of separating mothers and sons, which is contrary to their social organization in the wild. Bonobo society is dominated by females, and severing the lifelong alliance between mothers and their male offspring may make them vulnerable to female aggression. De Waal has warned of the danger of romanticizing Bonobos: "All animals are competitive by nature and cooperative only under specific circumstances" as well as writing that "when first writing about their behavior, I spoke of 'sex for peace' precisely because bonobos had plenty of conflicts. There would obviously be no need for peacemaking if they lived in perfect harmony". Because research of Bonobos in the wild is still immature compared to that of the Common Chimpanzee, lethal aggression between Bonobos could still be discovered.
Hohmann and Surbeck published in 2008 that Bonobos sometimes do hunt monkey species. Having observed a group of Bonobos in Salonga National Park, they witnessed five incidents in five years in which Bonobos preyed on monkeys. Their research indicates it was deliberate hunting in which a group of Bonobos would coordinate their actions – contrary to their normal hunting behaviour which is quite solitary and less purposeful. On three occasions, the hunt was successful and infant monkeys were captured.
[edit]Social behavior
Bonobo fishing for termites
Most studies indicate that females have a higher social status in Bonobo society, though some field work suggests that Bonobo troops are led by an alpha male (though females in this scenario are not subordinate to all adult males as is the case with Chimpanzees).[33] Aggressive encounters between males and females are rare, and males are tolerant of infants and juveniles. A male's status is derived from the status of his mother. The mother-son bond often stays strong and continues throughout life. While social hierarchies do exist, rank plays a less prominent role than in other primate societies.
Bonobo party size tends to vary because the groups exhibit a fission-fusion pattern. A community of approximately 100 will split into small groups during the day while looking for food, and then comes back together to sleep. They sleep in trees in nests that they construct.
[edit]Sexual social behavior
Sexual intercourse plays a major role in Bonobo society observed in captivity, being used as what some scientists perceive as a greeting, a means of conflict resolution, and post-conflict reconciliation. Bonobos are the only non-human animal to have been observed engaging in all of the following sexual activities: face-to-face genital sex, tongue kissing, and oral sex[34] (although a pair of Western Gorillas have been photographed performing face to face genital sex[35]). In scientific literature, the female-female behavior of touching genitals together is often referred to as GG rubbing or genital-genital rubbing. The sexual activity happens within the immediate family as well as outside it. Bonobos do not form permanent relationships with individual partners. They also do not seem to discriminate in their sexual behavior by sex or age, with the possible exception of abstaining from sexual intercourse between mothers and their adult sons; some observers believe these pairings are taboo. When Bonobos come upon a new food source or feeding ground, the increased excitement will usually lead to communal sexual activity, presumably decreasing tension and encouraging peaceful feeding.[36]
Bonobo males occasionally engage in various forms of male-male genital behavior.[37][38] In one form, two males hang from a tree limb face-to-face while "penis fencing".[39][40] This also may occur when two males rub their penises together while in face-to-face position. Another form of genital interaction, called "rump rubbing", occurs to express reconciliation between two males after a conflict, when they stand back-to-back and rub their scrotal sacs together. Takayoshi Kano observed similar practices among Bonobos in the natural habitat.
Bonobo females also engage in female-female genital behavior, possibly to bond socially with each other, thus forming a female nucleus of Bonobo society. The bonding among females enables them to dominate Bonobo society. Although male Bonobos are individually stronger, they cannot stand alone against a united group of females.[40] Adolescent females often leave their native community to join another community. Sexual bonding with other females establishes these new females as members of the group. This migration mixes the Bonobo gene pools, providing genetic diversity.
Bonobo reproductive rates are not any higher than that of the Common Chimpanzee. Female Bonobos carry and nurse their young for five years and can give birth every five to six years. Compared to Common Chimpanzees, Bonobo females resume the genital swelling cycle much sooner after giving birth, enabling them to rejoin the sexual activities of their society. Also, Bonobo females who are sterile or too young to reproduce still engage in sexual activity.
so, to recap a few points of most relevant interest; 1) bonobo's are matriarchal thru indirect means(sexual seduction & conquest) 2)also by sexual means, the females can defuse male aggression 3)lesbian activity among females creates strong bonds between them that creates social groupings that are fully capable of ganging up on the rare rogue male.
the Carrot as opposed to the Stick, but, female domination none-the-less.