Introductory Sociology

Weekly tasks or assignments (Individual or Group Projects) will be due by Monday and late submissions will be assigned a late penalty in accordance with the late penalty policy found in the syllabus. NOTE: All submission posting times are based on midnight Central Time.

Social Behavior and Monkeys

American psychologist, Harry Harlow, conducted a famous experiment that demonstrated the importance of caregiving and companionship in the social development of monkeys. For this assignment, watch this video about the Harlow monkey experiment.

Next, observe the social behavior of monkeys by watching the monkey exhibit at your local zoo for at least 10 minutes. If you are unable to visit a zoo, you may watch this videoof monkeys in a zoo environment. This video is also found in this week's M.U.S.E. material. While observing the monkeys, put on your "sociologist hat," and note the interactions and behaviors that you see.

Answer the following questions in a paper of 800–1,000 words:

• How did the monkeys interact with one another?
• How is the social behavior and social interaction of monkeys similar to the behavior of humans?
• Why do you think humans need social interaction?
• What did you learn from conducting field observation research? What do you think of this as a methodology?

Please submit your assignment.

References

School Tube. (2011). Harlow's studies on dependency in monkeys [Video]. Retrieved fromhttp://www.schooltube.com/video/4829069e4257a0069e38/.

LivingLinksCentre. (2010, July 31). Student resource - 10 minute animal behaviour sampling video [Video]. Retrieved from the You Tube Web site: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_AL93uqIow