Primate parenting is somewhat different than the parenting styles of other mammals. Primates tend to give birth to fewer offspring than other mammals, but become more invested in those offspring. Primates take care of their offspring longer than other mammals, but as a result, these offspring tend to be smarter, more socially complex, and longer living. “By caring for their offspring, providing them with food, and teaching them about social roles and social behavior generally, primates increase the chances of their species’ survival” (170). In addition, Primates tend to care for their young longer because the development period is longer for primates than other mammals, which is also because of their higher intelligence levels in comparison to other animals. (170).
b. Primates have a wide variety of residence patterns, divided according to the number of adult males and females present in the group. Primate residence patterns, or social groups, are strongly influenced by factors such as food availability, environment, and competition (196). The six main types of residence patterns are, one-male/multifemale, one-female/multimale, multimale/mulitfemale, all-male, one-male/one-female, and solitary residence patterns. One-male,
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Learned behavior, which is common in primates, is a highly important for their survival. “Sometimes, primates are not conscious of their actions, and other times they strategize, learning by observation and imitation” (195). Although instinctual behavior helps primates survive, learned behavior is beneficial because through their social groups and social learning, primates have been able to show each other ways to survive. In addition, primates are known to have substantially larger brains and are typically more intelligent than other mammals, so their extensive learning capabilities enable them to discover survival tactics or food sources. Then the things they have learned are passed on to each other through their social groups