Scientists see the beginnings of racism in monkeys

[Wingsofwind]

The Evolution of Prejudice: Scientific American

Mahajan and her team also devised a method for figuring out whether the monkeys harbor negative feelings towards outsiders. They created a monkey-friendly version of the Implicit Association Test (IAT). For humans, the IAT is a computer-based task that measures unconscious biases by determining how quickly we associate different words (e.g. “good” and “bad”) with specific groups (e.g. faces of either African-Americans or European-Americans). If a person is quicker to associate “bad” with African-American faces compared to European-American faces, this suggests that he or she harbors an implicit bias against African-Americans.

For the rhesus monkeys, the researchers paired the photos of insider andoutsider monkeys with either good things, such as fruits, or bad things, such as spiders. When an insider face was paired with fruit, or an outsider face was paired with a spider, the monkeys quickly lost interest. But when an insider face was paired with a spider, the monkeys looked longer at the photographs. Presumably, the monkeys found it confusing when something good was paired with something bad. This suggests that monkeys not only distinguish between insiders and outsiders, they associate insiders with good things and outsiders with bad things.

Overall, the results support an evolutionary basis for prejudice. Some researchers believe prejudice is unique to humans, since it seems to depend on complex thought processes. For example, past studies have found that people are likely to display prejudice after being reminded of their mortality, or after receiving a blow to their self-esteem. Since only humans are capable of contemplating their deaths or their self-image, these studies reinforce the view that only humans are capable of prejudice. But the behavior of the rhesus monkeys implies that our basic tendency to see the world in terms of “us” and “them” has ancient origins.

 

[Sarah G]

Oh look, Tank has a brother..

 

[rdean]

Is that why right wingers keep insisting Obama is not a citizen and he was born in Kenya?

 

[Wingsofwind]

Oh look, Tank has a brother..

No, I just thought this was interesting. Though I do agree with Tank on some of the things he says, I do not agree with all of it. I acknowledge that their is a racist problem and that it comes from ALL sides and it will always be their. However, I do not think people should base their lives on it.

And BTW, I am a woman so I can not be a 'brother'

 

[Sarah G]

Oh look, Tank has a brother..

No, I just thought this was interesting. Though I do agree with Tank on some of the things he says, I do not agree with all of it. I acknowledge that their is a racist problem and that it comes from ALL sides and it will always be their. However, I do not think people should base their lives on it.

And BTW, I am a woman so I can not be a 'brother'

I don't care what you are, racist.

 

[Wingsofwind]

Is that why right wingers keep insisting Obama is not a citizen and he was born in Kenya?

Could be, just like you believing that all right wingers are nothing but racist pieces of Sh**.

 

[Wingsofwind]

Oh look, Tank has a brother..

No, I just thought this was interesting. Though I do agree with Tank on some of the things he says, I do not agree with all of it. I acknowledge that their is a racist problem and that it comes from ALL sides and it will always be their. However, I do not think people should base their lives on it.

And BTW, I am a woman so I can not be a 'brother'

I don't care what you are, racist.

Yes, I am racist, just as much as you are. I just don't keep myself blind on the issue.

Racism does not have to be a bad thing, it is natural. What is bad about it is when people try to cover it up instead of addressing it. We have the intelligence to know what can become an issue and can find ways to address it without being mean about it.

I tend to only show my racism when others show it toward me, however I try to be nice about it until they are no longer nice. This is one way I address it. If others keep it to themselves, then I will also. There is no reason to be racist unless others are toward you.

 

[editec]

Racism is responding to a primative need for close associations and tribalism, without doubt.

Doesn't surprise me that monkeys are tribal or even appear racist.

 

[MalcolmPNewton]

The Evolution of Prejudice: Scientific American

Mahajan and her team also devised a method for figuring out whether the monkeys harbor negative feelings towards outsiders. They created a monkey-friendly version of the Implicit Association Test (IAT). For humans, the IAT is a computer-based task that measures unconscious biases by determining how quickly we associate different words (e.g. “good” and “bad”) with specific groups (e.g. faces of either African-Americans or European-Americans). If a person is quicker to associate “bad” with African-American faces compared to European-American faces, this suggests that he or she harbors an implicit bias against African-Americans.

For the rhesus monkeys, the researchers paired the photos of insider andoutsider monkeys with either good things, such as fruits, or bad things, such as spiders. When an insider face was paired with fruit, or an outsider face was paired with a spider, the monkeys quickly lost interest. But when an insider face was paired with a spider, the monkeys looked longer at the photographs. Presumably, the monkeys found it confusing when something good was paired with something bad. This suggests that monkeys not only distinguish between insiders and outsiders, they associate insiders with good things and outsiders with bad things.

Overall, the results support an evolutionary basis for prejudice. Some researchers believe prejudice is unique to humans, since it seems to depend on complex thought processes. For example, past studies have found that people are likely to display prejudice after being reminded of their mortality, or after receiving a blow to their self-esteem. Since only humans are capable of contemplating their deaths or their self-image, these studies reinforce the view that only humans are capable of prejudice. But the behavior of the rhesus monkeys implies that our basic tendency to see the world in terms of “us” and “them” has ancient origins.

This is nothing but an attempt to justify racism by making it appear natural. It is not natural, and a group of monkeys who show comfort in familiarity with "insiders" and discomfort with "outsiders" does not justify it. I tell you what, find an example of a group of monkeys who have systematically exterminated and subjugated every other group of monkeys and then created a well defined doctrine of psuedo-scientific racial superiority to justify it, then maybe you'll have a point.

 

[Jackson]

No, I just thought this was interesting. Though I do agree with Tank on some of the things he says, I do not agree with all of it. I acknowledge that their is a racist problem and that it comes from ALL sides and it will always be their. However, I do not think people should base their lives on it.

And BTW, I am a woman so I can not be a 'brother'

I don't care what you are, racist.

Yes, I am racist, just as much as you are. I just don't keep myself blind on the issue.

Racism does not have to be a bad thing, it is natural. What is bad about it is when people try to cover it up instead of addressing it. We have the intelligence to know what can become an issue and can find ways to address it without being mean about it.

I tend to only show my racism when others show it toward me, however I try to be nice about it until they are no longer nice. This is one way I address it. If others keep it to themselves, then I will also. There is no reason to be racist unless others are toward you.

Were your parents racist? How can you classify a whole race of people "below" you or "below" whites? How would you classify a meth user and child abuser who is white against Condaleeza Rice? How can you see black children and feel they re not worth saving? Or educating or loving?

Have you ever known a black person that you respected, found common interests with, took the time to know?

Have you ever felt your intolerance may be a sign of lower intelligence or understanding?

 

[Tank]

How long till the libs make laws to force the different monkey races to live, work and go to school with each other?

 

[Wingsofwind]

I don't care what you are, racist.

Yes, I am racist, just as much as you are. I just don't keep myself blind on the issue.

Racism does not have to be a bad thing, it is natural. What is bad about it is when people try to cover it up instead of addressing it. We have the intelligence to know what can become an issue and can find ways to address it without being mean about it.

I tend to only show my racism when others show it toward me, however I try to be nice about it until they are no longer nice. This is one way I address it. If others keep it to themselves, then I will also. There is no reason to be racist unless others are toward you.

Were your parents racist? How can you classify a whole race of people "below" you or "below" whites? How would you classify a meth user and child abuser who is white against Condaleeza Rice? How can you see black children and feel they re not worth saving? Or educating or loving?

Have you ever known a black person that you respected, found common interests with, took the time to know?

Have you ever felt your intolerance may be a sign of lower intelligence or understanding?

Ah, you see, my racism is not like what you described here. My racism is due to racism towards me, others, affirmative action, or abuse of affirmative action. Like I said, I am not racist until I see racism. So no I do not feel nor never felt that my racism is due to a lower intelligence or understanding. I am not 'intolerant' when others keep race out of the picture. What I am intolerant about is when others try to make things a race issue when it was never meant to be or if they try to use their race to get what they want.

As to my parents being racist, I don't know. Never saw them in a situation where they 'had' to be or 'wanted' to be. They never talked to me about it either. So I can not say how they were when it comes to racism.

I do not classify a whole race of people "below" me or "below" Whites. I classify them based on whether or not they are racist towards me or others. If I see the racism in them then I also see the racism in me. One man's racist attitudes will cause others to be the same way towards that man's race. It is an infection that I have been infected by due to other's racism.

Though a meth user and child abuser who is white is part of the scum of the Earth, Condoleezza Rice, IMO, would not be good for our nation. She is against all of what I believe this nation should be. A child abuser should be put to death. A meth user should be put under a doctor's supervision. And someone like Condoleezza should not be in a powerful position. NOT based on her race, but based on her views. However, she did support Obama based on HIS race. This is also another thing I do not like about her. She is for affirmative action of which had good intentions at first, but has gotten out of hand when a President is elected partly based on his race.

Also, when I see Black children I think it is the parents responsibility to educate them. It disgusts me to see them being left to die by their own parents or left uneducated because the parents are too lazy to make sure the are. However, it is not my responsibility to do these things, I have my own children to deal with. Those who do not have other priorities (their own children) and have the means should be helping these children out. Then maybe, just maybe, they will not become the racist Blacks we see today trying to use their race to get what they want from society.

And, YES. I have had and do have Black friends. They understand my racism and respect my views. They also see the racism in their own race and do not like it. They see their own race doing what others did to them. They don't believe it is right. These are 'people' and people alone. They do not use their race to get anything. They keep race out of their everyday lives.

 

[William Joyce]

I tell you what, find an example of a group of monkeys who have systematically exterminated and subjugated every other group of monkeys and then created a well defined doctrine of psuedo-scientific racial superiority to justify it, then maybe you'll have a point.

Sure... it's called an extinct species. If you think the animal kingdom operates under a scheme of civil rights, you really need to get out more often.

 

[William Joyce]

Were your parents racist? How can you classify a whole race of people "below" you or "below" whites? How would you classify a meth user and child abuser who is white against Condaleeza Rice? How can you see black children and feel they re not worth saving? Or educating or loving?

Have you ever known a black person that you respected, found common interests with, took the time to know?

Have you ever felt your intolerance may be a sign of lower intelligence or understanding?

Did you read the Scientific American article?

 

[assbeef]

Is that why right wingers keep insisting Obama is not a citizen and he was born in Kenya?

yea,how about those SS numbers as well,eh,dumbass?
i mean,jeez,how many does that ape need?