RESEARCH
The focus
of my
research is
animal social behavior, and I happen to study it in primates.
My interest in primates arises from the fact that these animals are
social in a particular way, which involves the establishment of
enduring and individualized social relationships. Primates share
these characteristics with
several other social vertebrates, but not with social
invertebrates, even though the latter may be very impressively
social.
At the
most
general level, I want to
understand how the type of
sociality shown by primates, and other vertebrates, relates to
behavioral patterns and ecological constraints. As a
biologist, I approach my questions with an evolutionary
perspective. However, while the
evolution of behavior is one of my interests, my research has also
focused on
behavioral
mechanisms and social development. My
recent
and current work focuses on (i) social
cooperation, (ii) mating
strategies
and mating systems, (iii) socioecology,
or ecological explanations of variable
social organization, and (iv) the development of social relations.
Longterm study of a single population of long-lived animals, which I've
now done for almost 30 years, leads also to an interest in life history
variation. In the past, I have also studied mechanisms
involved in maintaining group integrity (especially conflict
resolution, ownership conventions, and grooming) and social and ecological
relations between sympatric species. Although I am not
currently working on these particular topics, I remain very interested
in them. By clicking on the
links, you can read more about each of these foci.
Currently,
most
of my work is
undertaken in the field, and is
observational.
However, I have previously worked on captive animals as well, using
experimental techniques. I am not an exclusive
devotée of field
vs. lab, or observation vs. experimentation: different questions demand
different kinds of study. I do wish field experiments were
easier! 
I direct
the
Kakamega Monkey Project in
the Kakamega Forest, western
Kenya,
where I
have worked since 1979. My students and I have combined
behavioral fieldwork with genetic and endocrinological techniques,
undertaken in the laboratory, to gain a deeper understanding of the
behavior of our subjects.
I
also have an ongoing and somewehat
intermittent relationship with
human psychologists: I am interested in seeing how an evolutionary view
of social competence jives with human social cognition and social
behavior.
My main focus has been on conflict management – something that all
social animals need to do.
No one can work on forest wildlife in Africa and remain unconcerned about conservation issues. Most of my work does not focus on conservation-related questions per se. Nonetheless, I have become involved in community-level efforts to conserve the forest, and some of my students have tackled questions about variation in primate population density or effects of human-induced habitat change on behavior. I am also certain that our long-term research presence at the study site has contributed to the safe-guarding of at least a portion of the Kakamega Forest.
No one can work on forest wildlife in Africa and remain unconcerned about conservation issues. Most of my work does not focus on conservation-related questions per se. Nonetheless, I have become involved in community-level efforts to conserve the forest, and some of my students have tackled questions about variation in primate population density or effects of human-induced habitat change on behavior. I am also certain that our long-term research presence at the study site has contributed to the safe-guarding of at least a portion of the Kakamega Forest.
