If anyone thinks that humans are unique on the planet, that is very mistaken and here are the facts to show it. People are people because of the all knowledge taught and transferred to every generation that follows. Take, for example, humans and chimps who can both walk upright and have culture. For many, culture is central to the people because humans rule the planet with all the cities and modern trappings.
But what about chimpanzees, which have almost the same features as us except they are a bit different. When anyone is annoyed, they would be called a chimp because it is derogatory. A chimp is not human too, but what about them sharing tools or skills to other members of their family? This is a common human thing, but chimps do this too. We are more similar may be more than skin deep too.
Several researchers at American colleges have evidence to disprove human-centricity which is wrong to assume at all. One of the findings from the study revealed that Chimps employ a complex process and use tools to get to termites and share with others how to do it. This is comparable to humans in the way information is shared, which is a social aspect that will be the springboard for social improvement. Humans have diversity, so do chimps that live in family groups as well.
Here are some observations that were noted by the researchers about the behavior of chimps in general.
a. One assumption is that tool skills learning is essentially a solo task for the chimp, no help from members of the group.
b. Findings revealed that learning skills is not so passive, because of teaching by mothers or other members of the family. This is similar to human families and seems to be no different.
c. One difference that this study has from others is standardization of methods to classify how culture is exchanged between two groups. But, members in the two groups use tools with various skill level. This can be compared to how well human cope with technology, smarted can adapt but the lesser cannot.
d. Groups were compared on how much the tool using component correlated to the social aspect of it. This would be how the chimps behaved when using tools, and how it develops cultures for them.
e. Tool using is important for chimp families to move forward and develop other skills, that stem from tool using and socialization.
Looking at the tool-using capacity of chimps, humans can see how everything began and how the dynamic is the same. Preserving chimps is integral in learning more about us, and preserve another species that has a culture. Only two animals have the distinct similarities of learning and socialization, that is us and the chimps. Understanding the chimps will give us clues in learning that is shared amongst species, this study proves the ties between humans and chimp is more complex and perhaps more similar than admitted.
Related Article: When Task Is Complex, Chimpanzees More Likely to Teach Skills and Share Tools
