Monkey In The Mirror Analysis

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We as humans are much more similar to chimpanzees than we believe. While reading through the book by Jane Goodall, “Through a Window, My Thirty Years with the Chimpanzees of Gombe”, I noticed many references as to why humans and chimpanzees can be of comparison with one another. Another source that I got information about chimpanzees and them being so similar to humans is the video clip watched in class, “Monkey in the Mirror”, this video explains the cognitive learning of chimpanzees and it relates the learning of these chimpanzees to that of human beings. Jane Goodall makes valid points all throughout her book, “Through a Window”, she does an excellent job of explaining the interactions between chimpanzees and we can easily relate this …show more content…
Chimps have 98% of the same genes as humans. When baby monkeys interact with humans, they are similar to that of a baby. Babies rely on learning from connecting with their mothers and they learn things by watching their mothers, as do baby monkeys. Both baby humans and baby monkeys learn tips and tricks from their mothers as well. By the age of 3 months, monkeys are still helpless, as are human babies, and they explore by grasping objects and putting objects in their mouths as a means to learn and feel for things. By the age of 6 months, both babies and baby monkeys are able to explore more and they both become stronger. Before the age of 1 year old, baby chimps are smarter than baby humans and they learn and catch on quicker, but once they reach the age of 1 year old, babies overcome monkeys in the intellectual category. Chimps and babies learn from watching humans, for example making tools. They watch their mothers or older humans making or using a certain object and they mimic what they see being done. African chimpanzees learn how to break open nuts with a rock because they watch their mothers so this to get food. Of course, just like babies, baby monkeys learn through a series of trial and error. Sometimes, certain skills can take up to 4 years for monkeys to learn. Another example of a monkey learning skills from …show more content…
The chimp was given a set of words and was tested if he understood them or not, but he was more successful when given symbols. They are surprisingly able to match words to symbols and they are able to comprehend commands being given. An example of this is when the humans were asking the chimp to take the vacuum outside, and he knew what was being asked of him and he did it. However, not all commands are recognized 100% of the time. This is quite similar to babies, if you ask a baby to hand you a toy or to come to you, they can do it without hesitation most of time, but they may need it to be repeated to them like the chimp did as well. As babies, they are unable to recognize themselves in the mirror until about the age of 2 years, this is when they look in the mirror and being to make funny faces to ensure that the person they are seeing is really themselves. Chimps are similar in this aspect; they cannot recognize themselves until later on in life. The test that was done on the chimp in the video is when they put a paint dot on the chimp and when he looked at himself in the mirror, he realized something was different, and from then on, he knew he was looking at himself. Monkeys and humans are extremely similar, but the similarities are determined within individuals, babies learn at different rates and so do

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