Protoculture Explained

In physical anthropology, protoculture is the passing of behaviours from one generation to another among non-human primates.

For example, tool usage is learned between generations within chimpanzee troops. One troop of chimpanzees may exhibit a learned behavior unique from another troop of chimpanzees, such as various tool usage. Some chimpanzee troops have been observed consuming aspilia,[1] for medicinal purposes, because it has been seen to remove intestinal parasites, and is otherwise unpalatable.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 8_1 Chimpanzee Medicine Chest . 2011-09-22 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110608070200/http://www.uic.edu/classes/osci/osci590/8_1%20Chimpanzee%20Medicine%20Chest.htm . 2011-06-08 .