Primatology and evolutionary anthropology

The research of primatology and evolutionary anthropology at the department falls within the two subject areas. The first is ethology of primates and humans, the second is evolution of ape and human behavior and human population history. Within the first subject area, we study individual differences (personality) in primates. We are figuring out how to measure primate personality, how various primate species differ in the extent of individual differences, and whether this variation in behavior related to other individual characteristics. We are also engaged in various aspects of social behavior of primates, such as social function of grooming or infant handling. Furthermore, we study the relation of social hierarchy and levels of stress hormones in primates and humans. In Papua New Guinea, we study people living in a traditional agricultural society we examine the effects of living in this challenging environment on hormone levels and physical condition. Furthermore, we study the effect of physical fitness on the position in the social hierarchy. Within the second subject area, we study evolution of various traits of apes and humans such as social organization, sexual behavior or fur coloration. We also study phylogenetic relationships of human populations (ethnic groups) based on genetic and linguistic data. Using statistical methods developed by evolutionary biology, we investigate evolutionary history of various cultural phenomena such as family structure or religion.

Head:
MSc. Martina Konečná, Ph.D.
e-mail: konecnam@prf.jcu.cz
tel.: +420 389 032 251

prof. RNDr. Jan Zrzavý, CSc.
e-mail: zrzavy@centrum.cz
tel.: +420 387 772 239

Researchers:
RNDr. Pavel Duda, Ph.D.
MSc. Vedrana Šlipogor, Ph.D.
MSc. Gabriel Šaffa
MSc. Alfred Kik

Collaborating institutions:
Czech and Slovak zoological gardens; Department of Cognitive Biology, Universität Wien; School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, University of Edinburgh; Department of Behavioral Ecology, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen; Department of Anthropology, Emory University in Atlanta

Selected posters:
Investigating cultural adaptations to sexual conflict in the ethnographic record (Šaffa et al. 2019)
How long does it take: Reliable assessment of personality from everyday behavior in cotton-top tamarins (Másílková et al. 2016)
Kdo si začíná? Iniciace sexuálních interakcí u makaků magotů (Gregorová et al. 2015)
Fylogenetická analýza sexuálního a ontogenetického dichromatismu gibonů (Duda & Šoun 2016)

References:
The predictors of the social status among traditional societies of Papua New Guinea (Department of zoology)
Prof. Jan Zrzavý o evoluční biologii a výzkumu evoluce člověka (Český rozhlas Leonardo)
The last common ancestor of humans and chimps probably wasn’t much like either (Science News)
Co říkají jazyky a genetika o evoluční historii lidstva? (OSEL.CZ)
Co prozradila evoluční studie lovců-sběračů o původu náboženství? (PřF JU, Naše objevy)
Pavel Duda: Pozoruhodné paralely (přednáška z cyklu Biologické čtvrtky)