Communication in chimps

COMMUNICATION IN CHIMPS

1.0 Background of the Study

Human speech is commonly recognized as the dividing line between humans and the rest of the animal world (1994). The ability to speak is such a sharply defined boundary that goes deeper than the mere existence of a person for it is a special human ability. In relation, chimpanzees are humans’ closest living relatives, sharing more than 98 percent of the humans’ genetic blueprint, and they too are capable of communicating like humans. Chimps employ a rich variety of gestures and facial expressions to keep in touch with each other, and more importantly, there is intelligence behind the exchanges that makes for a level of understanding unseen elsewhere in the animal world. This sort of communication ability is what makes chimps appear far more socially advanced than any other animal. They may have a simple repertoire of noises and body language, but the intelligence with which these signals are used and interpreted makes a big difference.

Humans and chimps share a common ancestor who lived some four to eight million years ago. Chimpanzees scientific name is Pan Troglodytes. Chimps live in social communities of several dozen animals, and can habituate themselves to rain forests, woodlands, and grasslands. Although they normally walk on all fours, chimps can stand and walk upright. By swinging from branch to branch (prehensile), they can also move quite efficiently on trees.
Although chimps and humans are closely related, the apes have suffered much at human hands. These great apes are endangered and still threatened by bush meat hunters and habitat destruction.

2.0 Statement of the Problem

Communication between chimpanzees is not far from the way humans communicate. What are the communicative signals that show chimps are in the process of communicating—is it the same as the humans do? Chimpanzees are the noisiest type of all apes, and they use about a dozen different noises in expressing their emotions, such as grunts, hoots, screeches, and whimpers. It might hoot with anger or screech with fear. These responses are genetically programmed like a call, and do not have to learn to screech or hoot and has a standard response to its feelings. Moreover, how do communication in chimps and humans differ? Can chimps and humans understand each other emotionally? Chimpanzees and humans use the same parts of the brain when communicating, suggesting a common ancestral root to the linguistic prowess of humans, and raising the possibility that chimps are capable of highly complex communication.

3.0 Objectives of the Study

The main purpose of this study is to analyze the several activities that chimpanzees engage to in delivering communication. This research, specifically, purports to determine how these activities affect effective communication between chimpanzees and distinguish the role of people in utilizing chimps’ capability of this highly complex skill. This research takes into account the practices that chimpanzees engage to that show their special ability of communication. This study intends to explore the potential of chimps in communicating to people intellectually. The study also seeks to evaluate the difference and similarities between communication in man and chimps and how these differences affect both worlds.

4.0 Research Methodology

This study will use the descriptive type of research. A descriptive research intends to present facts concerning the nature and status of a situation, as it exists at the time of the study and to describe present conditions, events or systems based on the impressions or reactions of the respondents of the research (1994). It is also concerned with relationships and practices that exist, beliefs and processes that are ongoing, effects that are being felt, or trends that are developing ( 1970). The description is used for frequencies, averages and other statistical calculations. Prior to writing the descriptive research is to conduct a survey investigation. The aim of description includes follow-up examinations of why the observations exist and what the implications of the findings are. Furthermore, primary and secondary research will be both incorporated. The reason for this is to be able to provide adequate discussion for the readers that will help them understand more about the issue and the different variables that involve with it. The primary data for the study will be represented by the survey results that will be acquired from the respondents. On the other hand, the literature reviews to be presented in the second chapter of the study will represent the secondary data of the study. The research will be presented in written form with the addition of data charts, which will present the project’s results. Pie charts and network charts will be needed to illustrate some of the analyzed data. This cannot be confirmed, however, until the research data have been analyzed.

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