King, James E.

Professor Emeritus

Program: Ethology and Evolutionary Psychology
Year of affiliation: 1963
Year of doctor degree: 1963
School: University of Wisconsin

      My interests are primarily focused on nonhuman primates and animal behavior. I teach courses in primate behavior, animal learning, and animal behavior. I have done research on many aspects of primate behavior, including infant development, social behavior, complex learning, and behavioral laterality. I am currently studying the behavior, personality, and psychological well-being of zoo chimpanzees in collaboration with the ChimpanZoo project, an activity of the Jane Goodall Institute. Many students taking my primate behavior course are surprised to learn how closely we resemble our nonhuman primate cousins, particualarly the great apes. The resemblance is seen in characteristics as diverse as sensory processes, development, social interactions, learning, and even language. The course gives students an appreciation of the place of humans in the biological world and provides one perspective on the old question about whether we are better defined as risen apes or fallen angels.