Wearing the monkey suit

When we look at an ape, are we misinterpreting what we see? Do we see an animal, or do we treat them as if they are a human in a hairy suit?

‘Anthropomorphism’ is the attribution of human characteristics to inanimate objects, animals, forces of nature and other things. When we say ‘dogs are loyal’ or ‘foxes are cunning’, we are treating the animals as if they think and behave like humans. Dog owners sometimes believe their pet understands them, when in fact their pet has just learned to predict when doggy chocs are likely to appear. We often take this a step further and attribute human qualities to machines. For example, you might talk to your computer as if it is deliberately messing you about.