Primatology helps anthropologists make inferences about the early social organization of hominids and untangle issues of human nature and the origins of culture.Of particular relevance to these types of questions are two kinds of primates:
A) those with whom we share the least number of homologies, and those with whom we share the most analogies.
B) those that are in the tribe hominini, and those in the family hominidae.
C) those whose ecological adaptations are similar to our own (terrestrial monkeys and apes), and those most closely related to us, the great apes (chimpanzees and gorillas).
D) catarrhines and platyrrhines.
E) Gigantopithecus and Pierolapithecus.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Species in the family hominidae, particularly chimpanzees and gorillas, are the most closely related to humans and therefore can provide the most insight into our early social organization and cultural origins. Species with similar ecological adaptations may provide some relevant information, but not to the same extent as those in the hominidae family. Other options, such as A and D, are not as relevant to the specific questions posed in the prompt. E, while an interesting extinct species, is not as relevant to the question of early human social organization and cultural evolution.

Primatology Helps Anthropologists Make Inferences About the Early Social Organization