Overview
Robert Yerkes’s study of the mental life of monkeys and apes examines animal intelligence through behavior, learning, perception, problem-solving, and social interaction. Yerkes was a major early figure in comparative psychology, and the book reflects the period’s attempt to study animal minds…
This title is catalogued in Biography & Memoir. Its reading profile is Medium and Moderate, with themes including learning, psychology, history, self development.
One-Page Summary
Robert Yerkes’s study of the mental life of monkeys and apes examines animal intelligence through behavior, learning, perception, problem-solving, and social interaction. Yerkes was a major early figure in comparative psychology, and the book reflects the period’s attempt to study animal minds systematically rather than relying entirely on anecdote. Experiments and observations are used to ask difficult questions: Can animals learn by experience? Do they solve problems through insight? How much of behavior is instinct, and how much is flexible adaptation? Modern comparative psychology has developed far beyond Yerkes’s methods and conclusions, but the historical importance remains.
The book records an early scientific effort to understand cognition across species and therefore to reconsider what makes human intelligence distinctive.
Key Themes
Learning: This title is tagged with learning as one of its main themes.
Psychology: This title is tagged with psychology as one of its main themes.
History: This title is tagged with history as one of its main themes.
Self development: This title is tagged with self development as one of its main themes.