Re: reproductive strategi

J. Moore (j#d#.moore@canrem.com)
Tue, 14 Nov 95 17:45:00 -0500

HS> I would appreciate some help from anyone with the capability and the time.
HS> I am working on a study for a hominid culture class on hominid and other
HS> primate reproductive strategies. I was largely inspired by some of
HS> Lovejoy's proposals. I would appreciate any assistance with more current
HS> work, or knowledge concerning the reproductive strategies of PA's their
HS> effects on bipedalism and culture.
HS> Thanks,
HS>
HS> Hogan M. Sherrow
HS> University of Oregon

I wouldn't place much stock in what Owen Lovejoy says when he's
not talking about bones, and esp. when he talks about reproductive
strategies. He just doesn't know what he's talking about when he
wanders off into that realm, and hasn't seemed to have made any
effort to change that. For instance, his idea of a highly
sexually dimorphic group-living hominid being monogamous is at
odds with all ethology. (Didn't he read anything on the subject?)

In other words, if his work inspired you, fine, but don't think
it's actually any good. ;-) (or should that be ;-(.

Now, on a more positive note, I'd suggest you read Nancy Tanner's
1981 book, *On Becoming Human*, and see if you can get hold of a
couple of her later articles. I'd esp. recommend the article she
did in *What is an Animal?* (1988, edited by Tim Ingold; Unwin
Hyman: London); this is unfortunately an expensive book so not all
university libraries have it, but it's a very good short
version of Tanner's exposition of "The Gathering Hypothesis"
and use of the chimpanzee model in her work. She also did an
article in an easier to find book, *The Evolution of Human
Behavior: Primate Models (1987, Warren G. Kinzey, ed. Albany:
SUNY Press); it suffered somewhat when some of her highly relevant
critiques of sociobiology and in particular Toobey and Devore's
"strategic modelling" concept were edited out, but it's still a
good piece.

I would also recommend Caroline Tutin's article in *Chimpanzee
Cultures*, and there's at least one book you should have turned up
by now with the title, I believe, of *Primate Reproductive
Strategies* or at leat those three words in the title; should be a
snap to look up on a university online catalog. ;-)

Jim Moore (j#d#.moore@canrem.com)

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