Monkey see, monkey do may sound simple, but how an individual
perceives and processes the behavior of another is one of the most
complex and fascinating questions related to the social life of
humans and other primates. In "The Primate Mind," experts from
around the world take a bottom-up approach to primate social
behavior by investigating how the primate mind connects with other
minds and exploring the shared neurological basis for imitation,
joint action, cooperative behavior, and empathy.
In the past, there has been a tendency to ask all-or-nothing
questions, such as whether primates possess a theory of mind, have
self-awareness, or have culture. A bottom-up approach asks, rather,
what are the underlying cognitive processes of such capacities,
some of which may be rather basic and widespread. Prominent
neuroscientists, psychologists, ethologists, and primatologists use
methods ranging from developmental psychology to neurophysiology
and neuroimaging to explore these evolutionary foundations.
A good example is mirror neurons, first discovered in monkeys
but also assumed to be present in humans, that enable a fusing
between one s own motor system and the perceived actions of others.
This allows individuals to read body language and respond to the
emotions of others, interpret their actions and intentions,
synchronize and coordinate activities, anticipate the behavior of
others, and learn from them. The remarkable social sophistication
of primates rests on these basic processes, which are extensively
discussed in the pages of this volume.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!