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Macachiavellian Intelligence: How Rhesus Macaques and Humans Have Conquered the World
Judged by population size and distribution, homo sapiens are clearly the most successful primates. A close second, however, would be rhesus macaques, who have adapted to—and thrived in—such diverse environments as mountain forests, dry grasslands, and urban sprawl. Scientists have spent countless hours studying these opportunistic monkeys, but rhesus macaques have long been overshadowed in the public eye by the great apes, who, because of their greater intelligence, are naturally assumed to have more to teach us, both about other primates and about humans as well.
Dario Maestripieri thinks it is high time we shelve that misperception, and with Macachiavellian Intelligence he gives rhesus macaques their rightful turn in the spotlight. The product of more than twenty years studying these fascinating creatures, Macachiavellian Intelligence caricatures a society that is as much human as monkey, with hierarchies and power struggles that would impress Machiavelli himself. High-status macaques, for instance, maintain their rank through deft uses of violence and manipulation, while altruism is almost unknown and relationships are perpetually subject to the cruel laws of the market. Throughout this eye-opening account, Maestripieri weds his thorough knowledge of macaque behavior to his abiding fascination with human society and motivations. The result is a book unlike any other, one that draws on economics as much as evolutionary biology, politics as much as primatology.
Rife with unexpected connections and peppered with fascinating anecdotes, Macachiavellian Intelligence has as much to teach us about humans as it does about macaques, presenting a wry, rational, and wholly surprising view of our humanity as seen through the monkey in the mirror.
Dario Maestripieri thinks it is high time we shelve that misperception, and with Macachiavellian Intelligence he gives rhesus macaques their rightful turn in the spotlight. The product of more than twenty years studying these fascinating creatures, Macachiavellian Intelligence caricatures a society that is as much human as monkey, with hierarchies and power struggles that would impress Machiavelli himself. High-status macaques, for instance, maintain their rank through deft uses of violence and manipulation, while altruism is almost unknown and relationships are perpetually subject to the cruel laws of the market. Throughout this eye-opening account, Maestripieri weds his thorough knowledge of macaque behavior to his abiding fascination with human society and motivations. The result is a book unlike any other, one that draws on economics as much as evolutionary biology, politics as much as primatology.
Rife with unexpected connections and peppered with fascinating anecdotes, Macachiavellian Intelligence has as much to teach us about humans as it does about macaques, presenting a wry, rational, and wholly surprising view of our humanity as seen through the monkey in the mirror.
192 pages, Hardcover
First published October 15, 2007
9 people are currently reading
141 people want to read
About the author
Dario Maestripieri
15 books17 followersDario Maestripieri is a Professor in Comparative Human Development and is also affiliated with the Stevanovich Institute on the Formation of Knowledge at The University of Chicago. His current main interests are, a) evolution of human behavior and its biological regulation, b) 20th century European literature.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
July 3, 2021
"This book is about rhesus macaques and what they have in common with people. There are more facts in this book about monkeys than about people, but the book is really more about people than monkeys."
Veldig morsom bok om hvordan verdens nest mest suksessfulle primat, rhesusapen, oppfører seg. Om hvordan deres samfunn er oppbygget, om hvordan de lever sammen, konkurrerer og parer seg, og om hvordan de går til krig. Den er nok interessant for ape-elskere, men enda bedre for en som vil lære litt mer om hvor vi selv kommer fra.
Veldig morsom bok om hvordan verdens nest mest suksessfulle primat, rhesusapen, oppfører seg. Om hvordan deres samfunn er oppbygget, om hvordan de lever sammen, konkurrerer og parer seg, og om hvordan de går til krig. Den er nok interessant for ape-elskere, men enda bedre for en som vil lære litt mer om hvor vi selv kommer fra.
August 17, 2019
How the study of macaque behavior helps us to understand ourselves
Dario Maestripieri, who is an associate professor of comparative human development and evolutionary biology at the University of Chicago, has chosen here to write a popular account and analysis of his experiences with rhesus macaque monkeys. Macaques are the long-faced monkeys typically seen stealing food around Hindu temples in TV travelogues about India. Professor Maestripieri's decision results in a book that is easy to read, albeit a bit on the flippant side.
The idea is to compare for a general readership the behavior of rhesus macaques and humans: how we are the same and how we are different. Many similar and very valuable studies have been done with apes, so it is refreshing to read about the lives of our more distant primate cousins for a change. Whether Maestripieri and his editors at the University of Chicago Press should have taken a less colloquial approach is a good question. I was not put off by Maestripieri's style, but I was disappointed in the causal way he seemed to read the minds and intentions of the monkeys. If some of Maestripieri's surmises about what macaques may be thinking (and why) comes back to haunt him, it won't be a big surprise. Anthropological interpretations of animal behavior are notorious for leading field biologists astray. However Maestripieri is clearly an expert on primate behavior (author of over 125 scientific publications and editor of the text, Primate Psychology 2005) and so his interpretations are to be respected.
Nonetheless I would like to take issue with one of them. Maestripieri sees macaque females as using a reproductive strategy that favors having sex with the alpha male of the troop while secretly going off into the bushes with subordinate males. This way, Maestripieri reasons, she gets the best genes from the alpha male while taking out an insurance policy on her soon to be born infant in case something happens to the dominate male. Since macaque males, like lions and some other animals, have a tendency to kill infants from females with whom they have not mated, this seems a wise strategy. Macaque females typically mate with the alpha male when they are most fertile and with the lesser males when they are not fertile. It is interesting to note that macaque males, like their human counterparts, are not entirely sure about when the female is ovulating. Consequently sex becomes, as Maestripieri puts it, a political business for females. He adds that macaque females mate with different males, especially males from outside the troop, just in case the alpha male may be either sterile or too closely related genetically. Again this is good reproductive insurance.
All this is understandable and insightful. However to imagine that human females employ a very similar strategy, as Maestripieri implies, is too simplistic. What human females do FIRST is form a monogamous, long-lasting relationship with the best male available so that their children can have a secure situation in which to develop. Since human offspring are so much more vulnerable for so much longer than macaque offspring, and because human males are usually more nurturing than macaque males, this is a wise strategy. At this point the female, who is "in love" with her choice, doesn't fool around (usually!). However, after some time (the "seven year itch"?) the human female begins to think about upgrading the genetic input and becomes vulnerable to advances from men she perceives as alpha males. Or she may just move on to another male. The difference is that humans practice serial monogamy while rhesus monkeys are not really monogamous at all.
The real question about the value of this book is, do parallels with rhesus macaque behavior lend insight into human psychology? I think the answer is a clear yes. Indeed Maestripieri's central thesis is that the Machiavellian behavior of the macaques in which they selfishly strive for power and control in their relationships with one another is all too similar to the way humans behave. I think he makes this point very well. However there is one very big difference between macaque society and human society: rhesus macaque society is matriarchal while human societies are almost universally patriarchal. This makes a big difference, the main effect being that males in rhesus macaque societies are less important and less involved than they are in human societies. A lesser effect stems from the fact that it is the males in macaque society that leave their family while traditionally in humans it is females who typically go to live with their in-laws.
This brings up the subject of nepotism, to which Maestripieri devotes a chapter (Chapter 3 "Nepotism and Politics"). He begins with some pertinent observations on Machiavelli and contemporary Italian society, noting how nepotism is the key to academic advancement. I was surprised to read that Italian professors often keep a position open for doctoral candidates just in case a relative needs one! (p. 18) Maestripieri follows this with some observations on incest and dispersal, leading to the salient point that it is impossible to understand macaque behavior and their dominance structure without knowing who is related to whom. This apples to human society as well, of course, but is something we more or less take for granted. In macaque society the observer has to watch the females to discern relationships. In human society we also have last names. Interesting. (I guess I should also note that we now have DNA tests for both macaques and humans with the well-known interesting result that the biological father may not be who we think he is.)
Despite the almost jocular tone of the book at times and the lack of scientific rigor in some of Maestripieri's conclusions, I would recommend this book for professionals as well as laypersons because of Maestripieri's perceptive insights into primate behavior gained from many years of study and many years in the field. These insights help us to understand ourselves.
--Dennis Littrell, author of “Understanding Evolution and Ourselves”
Dario Maestripieri, who is an associate professor of comparative human development and evolutionary biology at the University of Chicago, has chosen here to write a popular account and analysis of his experiences with rhesus macaque monkeys. Macaques are the long-faced monkeys typically seen stealing food around Hindu temples in TV travelogues about India. Professor Maestripieri's decision results in a book that is easy to read, albeit a bit on the flippant side.
The idea is to compare for a general readership the behavior of rhesus macaques and humans: how we are the same and how we are different. Many similar and very valuable studies have been done with apes, so it is refreshing to read about the lives of our more distant primate cousins for a change. Whether Maestripieri and his editors at the University of Chicago Press should have taken a less colloquial approach is a good question. I was not put off by Maestripieri's style, but I was disappointed in the causal way he seemed to read the minds and intentions of the monkeys. If some of Maestripieri's surmises about what macaques may be thinking (and why) comes back to haunt him, it won't be a big surprise. Anthropological interpretations of animal behavior are notorious for leading field biologists astray. However Maestripieri is clearly an expert on primate behavior (author of over 125 scientific publications and editor of the text, Primate Psychology 2005) and so his interpretations are to be respected.
Nonetheless I would like to take issue with one of them. Maestripieri sees macaque females as using a reproductive strategy that favors having sex with the alpha male of the troop while secretly going off into the bushes with subordinate males. This way, Maestripieri reasons, she gets the best genes from the alpha male while taking out an insurance policy on her soon to be born infant in case something happens to the dominate male. Since macaque males, like lions and some other animals, have a tendency to kill infants from females with whom they have not mated, this seems a wise strategy. Macaque females typically mate with the alpha male when they are most fertile and with the lesser males when they are not fertile. It is interesting to note that macaque males, like their human counterparts, are not entirely sure about when the female is ovulating. Consequently sex becomes, as Maestripieri puts it, a political business for females. He adds that macaque females mate with different males, especially males from outside the troop, just in case the alpha male may be either sterile or too closely related genetically. Again this is good reproductive insurance.
All this is understandable and insightful. However to imagine that human females employ a very similar strategy, as Maestripieri implies, is too simplistic. What human females do FIRST is form a monogamous, long-lasting relationship with the best male available so that their children can have a secure situation in which to develop. Since human offspring are so much more vulnerable for so much longer than macaque offspring, and because human males are usually more nurturing than macaque males, this is a wise strategy. At this point the female, who is "in love" with her choice, doesn't fool around (usually!). However, after some time (the "seven year itch"?) the human female begins to think about upgrading the genetic input and becomes vulnerable to advances from men she perceives as alpha males. Or she may just move on to another male. The difference is that humans practice serial monogamy while rhesus monkeys are not really monogamous at all.
The real question about the value of this book is, do parallels with rhesus macaque behavior lend insight into human psychology? I think the answer is a clear yes. Indeed Maestripieri's central thesis is that the Machiavellian behavior of the macaques in which they selfishly strive for power and control in their relationships with one another is all too similar to the way humans behave. I think he makes this point very well. However there is one very big difference between macaque society and human society: rhesus macaque society is matriarchal while human societies are almost universally patriarchal. This makes a big difference, the main effect being that males in rhesus macaque societies are less important and less involved than they are in human societies. A lesser effect stems from the fact that it is the males in macaque society that leave their family while traditionally in humans it is females who typically go to live with their in-laws.
This brings up the subject of nepotism, to which Maestripieri devotes a chapter (Chapter 3 "Nepotism and Politics"). He begins with some pertinent observations on Machiavelli and contemporary Italian society, noting how nepotism is the key to academic advancement. I was surprised to read that Italian professors often keep a position open for doctoral candidates just in case a relative needs one! (p. 18) Maestripieri follows this with some observations on incest and dispersal, leading to the salient point that it is impossible to understand macaque behavior and their dominance structure without knowing who is related to whom. This apples to human society as well, of course, but is something we more or less take for granted. In macaque society the observer has to watch the females to discern relationships. In human society we also have last names. Interesting. (I guess I should also note that we now have DNA tests for both macaques and humans with the well-known interesting result that the biological father may not be who we think he is.)
Despite the almost jocular tone of the book at times and the lack of scientific rigor in some of Maestripieri's conclusions, I would recommend this book for professionals as well as laypersons because of Maestripieri's perceptive insights into primate behavior gained from many years of study and many years in the field. These insights help us to understand ourselves.
--Dennis Littrell, author of “Understanding Evolution and Ourselves”
November 25, 2021
Possibly the perfect book for my purposes haha. I learnt a LOT about rhesus macaques, and gained quite a bit of insight into humans as well (particularly gender dynamics) - all good meat I can use going forward. Honestly I don't know what I would have done without it!
Written in a fluid conversational tone interspersed with humour that I found easy to read. Though sometimes the humour felt a bit flat or weird, but maybe that's just my tastes.
Written in a fluid conversational tone interspersed with humour that I found easy to read. Though sometimes the humour felt a bit flat or weird, but maybe that's just my tastes.
August 28, 2023
This is an "ok" primatology book. It focuses on the behavior of macaque Rhesus and tries to link it to human behavior, but nothing in the book is particularly new.
January 1, 2025
Very interesting book about the parallels between Macaque monkey social interactions and human social interactions
April 20, 2008
I'm currently reading this book and beginning to work w/ Rhesus Macaques tomorrow. This book is very interesting bc it compares humans and Rhesus Macaque monkeys. Interesting tidbit: did you know Rhesus Macaques are the 2nd most prolific primate on the planet next to human beings. No other species of primate has conquered more climates, continents or areas than rhesus macaques and humans. Their adaptability is unsurpassed by any other non-human primate. This is why they are the 'ideal' research monkey. You can pretty well let them go anywhere and they will find a way to adapt. In Asia they are like pigeons in NY City. They've even managed to become worshipped at a lot of temples and brought fresh produce daily. These are fascinating creatures who unlike humans are matrilineal. Women rules these social groups, with the adolescent males being forced out at puberty. If you're interested in Psychology, Sex, Status, Dominance, Aggression or Intelligence this would be a great read for you! I find it fascinating! Its all about social living like we humans do to survive. Rhesus monkeys are no different, isolate them and they fail to thrive. A socially ostracized monkey will not survive long but w/in the structure of their intricate social web, they thrive. What makes this book entirely unique? Generally, most books written about primate behavior and most studies of comparative evolution and social cooperation are comparing Great Apes and humans. This timely book shows that are monkey cousins are not far away from us either and although less intelligent than Great Apes are much better survivors. These monkeys are in no way endangered and have found a way to peacefully live with humans and adapt to deforestation, logging, human infringement, etc.....
December 5, 2018
A charming book about the natural behavior of Rhesus Macaques. Rhesus are an unusually successful species, with the largest geographic range of any nonhuman primate, ranging across the Indian subcontinent into China.
They have a rich social structure, living in troops of dozens. A troop consists of mothers, their male and female young children, and mature male macaques that have emigrated from their childhood troop.
Their social structure is nepotistic and despotic (hierarchical). Every male and female in the group has a place in a strict dominance hierarchy that dictates access to food, mating, prime lounging spots, etc.
Dominance relations among females tend to change infrequently because of the close alliance mothers enjoy with their children, sisters, and mothers. When engaged in a fight, all of these family members will come to a female's aid, so that the size and health of a female's family group is a large determining factor in her ability to preserve her social status. Since these factors change slowly over time, female dominance hierarchies tend to be stable. Low caste female families, however, do infrequently stage revolutions and challenge female dominance hierarchy. These confrontations tend to be unusually vicious, because the normally stable nature of the female dominance hierarchy means the stakes are high (i.e., a successful revolution will result in a long term change in quality of life for the involved parties).
Male dominance hierarchies are more fluid because males lack the close familial alliances of females; they rise and fall largely on their own merits.
They have a rich social structure, living in troops of dozens. A troop consists of mothers, their male and female young children, and mature male macaques that have emigrated from their childhood troop.
Their social structure is nepotistic and despotic (hierarchical). Every male and female in the group has a place in a strict dominance hierarchy that dictates access to food, mating, prime lounging spots, etc.
Dominance relations among females tend to change infrequently because of the close alliance mothers enjoy with their children, sisters, and mothers. When engaged in a fight, all of these family members will come to a female's aid, so that the size and health of a female's family group is a large determining factor in her ability to preserve her social status. Since these factors change slowly over time, female dominance hierarchies tend to be stable. Low caste female families, however, do infrequently stage revolutions and challenge female dominance hierarchy. These confrontations tend to be unusually vicious, because the normally stable nature of the female dominance hierarchy means the stakes are high (i.e., a successful revolution will result in a long term change in quality of life for the involved parties).
Male dominance hierarchies are more fluid because males lack the close familial alliances of females; they rise and fall largely on their own merits.
Want to read
April 30, 2012Im not a researcher or anything, i was just curious to see what this book had to offer, my friend recommended it, because of some eye trackers we were selling to a lab that did tests on Rhesus Macaques. I found this book to be surprisingly not very dry at all, i kept expecting to get bored of this book, but it never happened, i learned a lot about humans vs the Rhesus Macaques, and we are not that different.
November 30, 2010
Sure, as a macaque researcher I'm a little biased, but come on! Who doesn't love a good monkey story?! If you have any interest at all in macaques or animal behavior in general, I recommend the book. It's very informative but not pedantic. Plus it isn't very long- it's a nice little crash course on macaques.
May 19, 2008
I was reminded by this book that humans are social animals which are always jocking for position, much like Rhesus Macaques, our mirror self images always in the hands of others... yuck yuck yuck.
Its a fun read, everyone loves demanding monkeys.
Its a fun read, everyone loves demanding monkeys.
October 21, 2012
Fascinating view into the social life of rhesus macaques that shows the parallels between human and macaque societies and psychology. Helps you to understand why we act the way we do and why our society is set up the way it is. Awesome.
September 3, 2016
I'm currently working with rhesus macaques in a research lab and this book provided some great insight on how their behavioral responses work. Some funny parts also related their primate behavior to human behavior.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews