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Home/Anthropology/Mains PYQ/2020/Paper I/Human Evolution & Primatology
UPSC MainsAnthropology Optional Paper I 2020 10 Marks Model Answer Available

Jane Goodall and Primate Behaviour — 2020 Paper I

Question · 2020 · Paper I · 10 Marks

Jane Goodall's contributions in studying primate behaviour

Model Answer

VAID ICS

Approach

  • Demand of Question: Explain Jane Goodall’s major methodological and empirical contributions to the study of chimpanzee behaviour and their significance for understanding primate and human evolution.
  • Structuring the Response: Introduce her long-term Gombe research, discuss discoveries concerning tool use, diet, sociality and aggression, highlight her field methodology, and conclude with their significance for anthropology.
  • Key Dimensions to Cover: Gombe Stream, Louis Leakey, chimpanzees, tool manufacture and use, termite fishing, hunting, meat eating, social relationships, aggression, individual personalities, long-term observation and human–ape continuity.

Model Answer

Introduction

Jane Goodall began her long-term study of wild chimpanzees at Gombe Stream, Tanzania, in 1960, encouraged by Louis Leakey. Her observations fundamentally changed primatology by revealing behavioural complexity once considered uniquely human.

Major contributions

  1. Tool use and manufacture: Goodall observed chimpanzees modifying grass stems and twigs to extract termites.

This challenged the then-common formulation of humans as uniquely “tool-making” animals.

  1. Hunting and meat eating: She documented organized hunting of animals such as colobus monkeys and demonstrated that chimpanzees were not exclusively vegetarian.
  2. Complex social relationships: Her long-term observations revealed:
    • dominance hierarchies;
    • alliances;
    • maternal bonds;
    • grooming relationships;
    • reconciliation and cooperation.
  3. Aggression and territoriality: She documented organized intergroup aggression and lethal violence, challenging romantic notions of inherently peaceful non-human apes.
  4. Individual personalities: By naming rather than numbering chimpanzees, Goodall emphasized behavioural differences among individuals and documented distinct personalities.
  5. Cultural variation: Long-term primate research inspired partly by such observations showed that behavioural traditions can be socially transmitted across generations.

Methodological contribution

Goodall demonstrated the value of:

Habituation + Individual identification + Long-term naturalistic observation

rather than relying primarily on captive studies.

Anthropological significance

Her findings narrowed assumed behavioural boundaries between humans and other apes and illuminated possible evolutionary foundations of technology, cooperation, kinship, aggression and social learning.

Conclusion

Jane Goodall transformed primatology by demonstrating that chimpanzees possess technological, social and behavioural complexity, providing crucial comparative evidence for understanding human evolution.

2026 Human evolution is a product of both biological and cultural factors. Elaborate. 2026 Discuss the phylogenetic status, characteristic features, geographical distribution and lifeways of Paranthropus. 2026 What are Strepsirhini Primates? Describe their geographical distribution and mention the characteristics that distinguish them from Haplorhini Primates. 2026 Seed Eaters Model of hominid differentiation.

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UPSC Anthropology Optional 2020 — Paper I

28 questions

5(d) Ethics and Genetic engineering

10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper I > 12. Applications of Anthropology > Applied human genetics and eugenics
2020Paper IApplied & Forensic AnthropologyModel answer available

5(c) Experiential Ethnography

10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper I > 8.1 Research Methods > Fieldwork tradition and ethnography
2020Paper IResearch Methods in AnthropologyModel answer available

5(b) Genetic drift

10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper I > 9.3 Mendelian population and Hardy-Weinberg law > Genetic drift
2020Paper IHuman Genetics & Human BiologyModel answer available

1(a) Natufian culture

10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper I > 1.8(b) Cultural Evolution: broad outlines of prehistoric cultures > Mesolithic > Natufian
2020Paper IPrehistoric ArchaeologyModel answer available

5(a) Racism and Eugenics

10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper I > 9.5 Race and racism > Racial differentiation; eugenics
2020Paper IHuman Genetics & Human BiologyModel answer available

1(b) Sapir-Whorf hypothesis

10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper I > 7. Culture, language and communication > Language and thought
2020Paper ICulture & SocietyModel answer available

5(e) Senescence

10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper I > 10. Human growth and development > Ageing and senescence
2020Paper IHuman Genetics & Human BiologyModel answer available

1(d) Victor Turner and Liminality

10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper I > 6. Anthropological Theories > Symbolic Anthropology > Turner; liminality
2020Paper IAnthropological TheoriesModel answer available