Chimpanzees and Vulnerability

Primate psychology builds insight into human behavior by studying animals closely related to us. Chimpanzees are the closest relative to humans, and a number of studies have proven similarities between how humans and chimpanzees behave. From Jane Goodall to the Tai National Park Chimpanzee project, it’s been shown that the longest living and healthiest chimpanzees are the smartest socializers, not the strongest. Overall, the longest living chimpanzee is physically vulnerable in some way, allowing it to be torn down if it acts irresponsible, and the same can be said about the longest living and healthiest humans. 

Jane Goodall did probably the most famous studies into chimpanzee social behaviors. What the study found is that the longest living and healthiest chimpanzees were the best at distributing resources fairly and building alliances. This implies making friends helped the primates live the longest, happiest, and healthiest lives. The most healthy chimpanzee, however, was not the strongest. If the alpha chimpanzee acted irresponsible, it could be torn down by an alliance of two or more other chimpanzees. The same can be said about humans in a way that applies to physical and emotional vulnerabilities. If a powerful human acts irresponsible with their power, people will tear their reputation apart, humiliate them or even physically aggress them. This implies that, to have power, you must be able to get torn down if you act irresponsible with it. That means vulnerability is key to achieving power.