With exploratory analysis of extant primate species, it can be very useful to attempt to understand the possible behavior of early hominids. The social behavior of primates is discovered as part of the investigative research of primatology, which provides evidence that the divide between humans and other primates is beginning to diminish (McGrew, 1998: 302). This tends to involve a shift in thinking about human conditions and the re-identification of what makes us human. The making and regular use of tools was once considered what distinguished humans from other primates, however, primates such as chimpanzees and orangutans have been found to make and use tools, which gives us pause. What makes us human? (McGrew, 1998:310). After these and other similar discoveries the decisive factor became the possession of culture. However it became what was thought to be what distinguished us from other primates; it is becoming quite clear that other primates have a culture of their own. Verification that non-human primates do indeed have a culture will be achieved by discussing the meaning of culture, how and why culture has changed over evolutionary time from non-primates, to non-human primates, to early hominids to early humans (Janson , et al.,2003:57), as well as multiple components, such as symbolism, teaching, imitation, speech and "gesture requires neurological capacities mediated at the brain level", which include fine motor skills and the ability to construct variable, complex motor acts, concepts and objects, which will help determine whether non-human primates possess a symbolic culture (Gibson, 2002: 323). The customs and traditions of the Homo sapiens species are innumerable, unique and... middle of paper ...... 18, 2011Sapolsky, Robert M.2006 Culture in animals: the case of the culture of low-aggressive nonhuman primates and high affiliationUniversity of North Carolina Press, Electric Document, http://www.jstor.org/ stable/3844414Accessed March 18, 2011Tomasello, Michael1999 The Human Adaptation for CultureAnnual Reviews, Electronic Document, http://www.jstor.org/stable /233404Accessed 18 March 2011Works CitedWhiten, Andrew, Horner, Victoria, Marshall-Pescini, Sarah2003 Cultural Pantrhopologia. In Evolutionary Anthropology: Issues, News, and Reviews vol. 12, n.2, pp. 92-105Wiley Subscription Services Inc., a Wiley CompanyWhiten, Andrew, Goodall, Jane, McGrew, and WC2003 Cultures in Chimpanzees. In The Annual Ethics Reader, edited by Armstrong, Susan J. and Botzler, Richard J. Routledge, New York, NY