2010 Vol 101.pdf (1.63mb) - Primate Society of Great Britain

REPORT: PSGB Spring Meeting 2010
Social Cognition and Human Evolution
7 th and 8 th April 2010, University of Abertay, Dundee
The University of Abertay, Dundee hosted the Spring Meeting of the
Primate Society of Great Britain for the first time in its history. The
conference took place on the 7 th and 8 th of April featuring typical Dundee
Spring weather (sunny but cold). Successfully organised by Dr Clare
Cunningham, the meeting consisted of 4 invited speakers, 18 proffered
speakers, 14 poster presentations and a workshop.
Following registration, Abertay Principal and Vice Chancellor Professor
Bernard King CBE addressed the delegates, welcoming them to the
University. Clare Cunningham opened the conference and introduced the
chair of this first session. Our first invited speaker of the conference was
Professor Carel Van Schaik from the University of Zürich. His talk
concentrated on suggestions that the role of cooperative breeding extends
the ‘expensive brain’ framework in human cognitive evolution. This was
followed by talks on social network analysis as a tool to explore the social
structure and cumulative culture in chimpanzees. Morning coffee then gave
us a chance to engage in some social networking of our own and the
opportunity to browse the poster presentations.
The second session, chaired by Sean O’Hara, consisted of talks based on
social behaviour in the form of gestural repertoire in wild chimpanzees, non
linguistic vocal behaviour in human infants and play back calls as a
facilitator of increased social affiliation. Everyone then was directed back to
the student centre for lunch (which was excellent), more browsing of
posters and further opportunity to catch up with colleagues and meet new
members.
Dr Susanne Shultz from the University of Oxford was the second invited
speaker of the conference and was introduced by chair Sarah Elton.
Susanne’s presentation discussed further evidence illustrating
encephalisation across mammals as a result of social bonds and social
stability. This led onto further presentations in the session based on
anatomical and anthropological perspectives on social behaviour. The final
session of the day was chaired by Hannah Buchanan-Smith. Invited speaker
Dr James Anderson from the University of Stirling presented evidence from
his many years of research, on primate self-awareness, empathy and
awareness of death. Within his talk a moving piece of film was shown
capturing the moments of death of an old chimpanzee and the reaction of
others in the group. A wine reception concluded the first part of the spring
conference.
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