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Chimpanzee police that act as enforcers of peace may take the risky job because it keeps the primate groups stable so they have a healthy pl
By: Charles Q. Choi
Published: Mar 7, 2012
Chimpanzees have police, too. Now, researchers are discovering what makes these simian enforcers of the peace step into conflicts, findings that could help shed light on the roots of policing in humans.
Animals handle conflicts within groups in a variety of ways, such as policing, where impartial bystanders intercede when disputes crop up. Policing, which has been seen in chimps, gorillas, orangutans and other primates, differs from other forms of intervention in that such arbiters are neither biased nor aggressive — they are neither supporting allies nor punishing wrongdoers.
Policing is risky, however, since it involves approaching two or more combative squabblers, which may lead to would-be arbiters becoming the targets of aggression themselves. To find out why primate policing evolved despite such risk, scientists took a closer look at pol.
The researchers analyzed one group of chimpanzees in a zoo in Gossau, Switzerland, for nearly 600 hours over two years. This group experienced a great deal of social tumult — zookeepers there introduced three new adult female chimps, upsetting the former order, and a power struggle also led to a new alpha male. The investigators also looked at records of chimp policing behavior at three other zoos.
The scientists monitored ape social interactions, such as aggressive conflicts, friendly grooming and policing behavior. Policing could involve threatening both quarrelers in a conflict, or running between the antagonists to break up the squabble.
The researchers explored a couple of potential explanations for policing. For instance, policing might help high-ranking members of a group control rivals to keep themselves dominant, or to help keep potential mates from leaving the group. However, both explanations would require high-ranking males to be the arbiters — female chimps usually do not fight over rank, and female chimps are the most likely members to leave groups, not males. In contrast, the researchers found that police chimps were of both sexes. [8 Ways Chimps Act Like Us]
The researchers suggest policing helps improve the stability of groups, thus providing the arbiters with a healthy community to live in. Supporting this notion is the fact that arbiters were more willing to intervene impartially if several quarrelers were involved in a dispute, probably because such conflicts are more likely to jeopardize group peace.
"The interest in community concern that is highly developed in us humans and forms the basis for our moral behavior is deeply rooted — it can also be observed in our closest relatives," said researcher Claudia Rudolf von Rohr at the University of Zurich.
The scientists detailed their findings online today (March 7) in the journal PLoS ONE.
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Because conflicts among social group members are inevitable, their management is crucial for group stability. The rarest and most interestin
Abstract
Because conflicts among social group members are inevitable, their management is crucial for group stability. The rarest and most interesting form of conflict management is policing, i.e., impartial interventions by bystanders, which is of considerable interest due to its potentially moral nature. Here, we provide descriptive and quantitative data on policing in captive chimpanzees. First, we report on a high rate of policing in one captive group characterized by recently introduced females and a rank reversal between two males. We explored the influence of various factors on the occurrence of policing. The results show that only the alpha and beta males acted as arbitrators using manifold tactics to control conflicts, and that their interventions strongly depended on conflict complexity. Secondly, we compared the policing patterns in three other captive chimpanzee groups. We found that although rare, policing was more prevalent at times of increased social instability, both high-ranking males and females performed policing, and conflicts of all sex-dyad combinations were policed. These results suggest that the primary function of policing is to increase group stability. It may thus reflect prosocial behaviour based upon “community concern.” However, policing remains a rare behaviour and more data are needed to test the generality of this hypothesis.
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"mOrALiTy cOmEs FrOm GoD!!1!"
Even chimps know you don't "defund the police."
Everybody wants social stability, and some adjustment must be made in the relationship between individuals and classes in order that stability may be had. But two things, I am sure, nobody wants. One thing nobody wants is a static relationship, something that is unalterable, something that is fixed for all times. Stability is wanted, but not at the cost of change when change is imperative. The second thing nobody wants is mere adjustment. Adjustment is wanted, but not at the sacrifice of social justice. Can it be said that the adjustment of social relationships on the basis of caste—i.e,. on the basis of each to his hereditary calling—avoids these two evils? I am convinced that it does not. Far from being the best possible adjustment, I have no doubt that it is of the worst possible kind, inasmuch as it offends against both the canons of social adjustment — namely, fluidity and equity.
'Annihilation of Caste', Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
Recently, I was in a pharmacy and overheard the pharmacist say to someone, “There’s so much unpleasantness on the news these days, I’ve stopped watching.” The pharmacist has my sympathy. I’d love to be able to ignore the deterioration of the First World. It is, at turns, tedious, depressing, disturbing, and infuriating. Unfortunately, we’re now passing through what, before it’s over, will be the most life-altering period in our lifetimes. As much as we’d like to behave like ostriches right now, we’d better keep our heads out of the sand and be as honest with ourselves as we can if … Continue reading →
Recently, I was in a pharmacy and overheard the pharmacist say to someone, “There’s so much unpleasantness on the news these days, I’ve stopped watching.” The pharmacist has my sympathy. I’d love to be able to ignore the deterioration of the First World. It is, at turns, tedious, depressing, disturbing, and infuriating. Unfortunately, we’re now passing through what, before it’s over, will be the most life-altering period in our lifetimes. As much as we’d like to behave like ostriches right now, we’d better keep our heads out of the sand and be as honest with ourselves as we can if … Continue reading →
Remarks by Michael Douglas during the Youth Event for the International Day of Peace 2023
Remarks by Michael Douglas during the Youth Event for the International Day of Peace 2023
Youth Event for the International Day of Peace 2023.
Discourse on Peace.
The event will center around deepening our understanding of the connection between peace, security, and sustainable development, fostering a
The event will center around deepening our understanding of the connection between peace, security, and sustainable development, fostering a holistic approach to global harmony.
To commemorate the International Day of Peace, the Permanent Mission of India will organize a Discourse on Peace. Yoga Guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar will grace the conference as Chief Guest.
The International Day of Peace emphasizes the resolution of conflicts through non-violent means, fostering s and the well-being of all. Peace is more than just the absence of war; it encompasses social, political, and economic stability. It also underlines the power of dialogue, education and cross-cultural understanding to prevent conflicts and promote sustainable development.
Tentative programme:
Opening Remarks by Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj, Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations
Keynote Remarks by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Founder of Art of Living
Special Remarks by Mr. Miguel Moratinos, High Representative for UNAOC
Interactive Q&A Session
Breathing Exercise
Vote of Thanks
Global Economic Impacts of Environmental Changes
Important insights:
If we continue to degrade our natural coastal defences. Losses are expected to be particularly significant in high-income countries such as the USA, Japan and the UK
Global forest loss is a growing threat to climate and economy due to land clearance for livestock, agriculture, mining, infrastructure development and other pressures
Nature loss will significantly affect food systems with implications for food security and food prices. However, as the Green Conservation (GC) scenario shows, it is possible to deliver more food at lower prices and restore nature at the same time, generating multiple economic and social gains if due care is taken to prevent nature loss.
Poorer countries bear most of the costs of nature loss under the business as usual scenario compounding the risks faced by millions in already vulnerable economies. Food security and food affordability can trigger off social unrests in vulnerable economies, environmental conservation is not only keys to break poverty and promote social development, it also helps social stability. (Even for developed countries, rising living costs caused by food prices is not a welcoming signal for voters who choose governments.)
Business and supply chain risks are high in certain sectors
Loss of ecosystem services has potentially significant risks for economic sectors that are highly dependent on them (e.g. food and agriculture). However, in interconnected economies, all sectors are affected through knock-on economic effects (e.g. the service sector and manufacturing also see adverse impacts). Increases in global prices for key commodities (e.g. timber, cotton, oil seeds, fruit and vegetables) could lead to supply chain disruptions and reduced margins for producers. Increased costs (e.g. for raw materials, insurance and infrastructure repair) and reduced profitability could also affect returns and the confidence of investors, lenders and insurers in certain sectors.
Source: Global futures Assessing the economic impacts of environmental change to support policy making
The blurring of the boundary between reality and an emotive perception of it carries grave risks for social stability. Today we have a movement proclaiming that growing numbers of people are being picked up for unknown reasons, only to be labelled as ‘terrorists’ and treated accordingly. They have to shout to be heard above the din. The scale of the misrepresentation, the awful smear campaign against this movement, borrows heavily from the tools with which reality is chopped up and manufactured. A single line uttered by someone at a rally, a pictorial meme, is usually enough for many people to stamp the whole enterprise with the label of ‘traitor’, and dismiss their claims and demands. Of course that does not solve the problem. It only postpones its settlement for another day, in another form.
Khurram Husain, 'The wages of disinformation', Dawn