A Primatologist’s Guide to Human Behavior
Understanding Social Hierarchies
In a lesson on leadership, primatologist Frans de Waal argues that true alpha males, exemplified by a classmate helping a bullied child, demonstrate empathy rather than aggression, a trait he believes is essential for effective leadership in both social and corporate environments.
What Apes Can Teach Us About Sex and Gender
In a video lesson, primatologist Frans de Waal explores the similarities between humans and our closest ape relatives, highlighting how both biology and culture shape our understanding of sex and gender, while emphasizing the flexibility of human behavior beyond natural tendencies.
The Truth About Alpha Males and What it Means To Be a Leader
Primatologist Frans de Waal explains that the term "alpha male," often misunderstood in popular culture, refers to a leader in social hierarchies, characterized by empathy and support, rather than personality type, with both alpha males and females deriving power from social relationships and group dynamics.
What a Study of Operating Room Behavior Tells Us About Mixed-Gender Teams
Primatologist Frans de Waal's 2018 study on human behavior in operating rooms reveals that hierarchical dynamics and gender-based interactions mirror primate behavior, suggesting that understanding these patterns can enhance cooperation and reduce conflict in mixed-gender teams.
How Sexual Dimorphism Influences Gender Bias and What We Can Do About It
A significant 80% of men lie about their height on dating profiles, often adding two inches, influenced by sexual dimorphism and societal biases favoring taller males, which primatologist Frans de Waal suggests must be addressed to promote gender equality in the workplace.
What Apes Can Teach Us About Our Emotions
Primatologist Frans de Waal argues that humans share core emotional behaviors, such as empathy and reciprocity, with apes, highlighting the importance of recognizing our primal connections and the role of emotions in decision-making.
Apes are fascinating in their own right. But after years of observing our closest relatives, primatologist Frans de Waal believes studying chimpanzees and bonobos can do more than just entertain — it can also shed light on human behavior. His takeaways include insights on leadership, emotions, and gender; in other words, the core components of how we form identity and operate in society.
Learning Objectives
- Recognize the naturalistic fallacy.
- Align your leadership style with the traits of benevolent alphas.
- Recognize and mitigate gender biases related to sexual dimorphism.
- Set ground rules for mixed-gender teams.
- Analyze whether your decisions and behavior are driven by intellect or emotions.