Social Categorization
Humans organize their social world using categories of familiar/unfamiliar, male/female, old/young, etc. and do so automatically. Examining social categorization in other species allows us to determine whether these abilities are unique to humans or if they are found in related species as well, suggesting that social categorization is a basic, functional process. From an animal behavior perspective, it also allows us to gain a better appreciation and understanding of how nonhuman primates organize their social world and how this influences their behavior. The ability to distinguish individuals within one’s group from those outside is critical for survival, as outsiders pose a threat to a group’s food and mating resources. In addition, knowing the sex and relatedness of individuals contributes to reproductive success and can assist when emigrating into a new social group.
