Question

1. Is it only a primate's rank that predicts its stress response? If not, what else is important?
2. Why is studying dominance hierarchies and stress more complex in humans than in baboons?
3. What makes living in poverty so stressful?
4. Explain the role that Sapolsky believes that health care access, risk factors, and feeling poor, play in accounting for the average worse health that people living in poverty experience.

Answer 1

Is it only a primate's rank that predicts its stress response? If not, what else is important?

The rank of the primate is an important factor in predicting its stress response, but, it is not the only factor. It has been observed that more number of stress related diseases are seen in humans and the primates that are closely related to them, these include monkeys as well as apes.

it is stated that by evolution, stress response has been developed in a different manner in the primates. Hormones such as glucocorticoids as well as adrenalin are released by almost all vertebrates , that would be responsible in increasing the heart rate of the individual. The same stress hormones are also secrewted by fishes and reptiles. Though, the manner in which stress responses occur in primates is much different.

The manner in which the brain functions also affects the stress responses. The difference majorly lies in the functioning of the brain, the memory as well as judgement that humans have. These advanced thinking capabilities are not present in other primates.

Why is studying dominance hierarchies and stress more complex in humans than in baboons?

baboons are primates that are highly social. Also, they relate closely to us. Also, baboons have a lot of time that they would be devoting to their own self, that would allow them to stress. It is easier to study baboons than to study humans because the ideas of social mobility and society is not that prevalent in baboons. The social hierarchies and the complex interplay between them, the ability to move up or down the hierarchy is not there in baboons. The social support that humans might garner, is not there is any other primates. Hence, it is easier to study the baboons.