Frans de Waal

Professor of Primate Behavior, Emory University

Dr. Frans B. M. de Waal is a Dutch/American behavioral biologist and primatologist known for his work on the behavior and social intelligence of primates. His first book, Chimpanzee Politics (1982), compared the schmoozing and scheming of chimpanzees involved in power struggles with that of human politicians. His scientific work has been published in hundreds of technical articles in journals such as Science, Nature, Scientific American, and outlets specialized in animal behavior. His popular books - translated into 20+ languages - have made him one of the world's most visible primatologists. His latest books are Mama’s Last Hug (Norton, 2019) and Different: Gender Through the Eyes of a Primatologist (Norton, 2022). De Waal is C. H. Candler Professor Emeritus at Emory University and Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Utrecht University. He has been elected to the (U.S.) National Academy of Sciences as well as the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. In 2007, Time declared him one of "The World's 100 Most Influential People Today."

a close up of a monkey with its mouth open.

The “alpha male” myth, debunked

Primatologist Frans de Waal inadvertently popularized the term "alpha male." Now, he’s debunking common stereotypes to explain what an "alpha male" really is — empathetic and protective.

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7 min

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The Well

95% of your behavior is primate behavior

He's studied apes for 50 years - here's what most people get wrong.

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6 min

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Frans de Waal

Neuropsych

Why “survival of the fittest” is wrong

He's studied apes for 50 years - here's what most people get wrong.

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6 min

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Frans de Waal

Neuropsych

What evidence is there that animals are conscious beings?

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2 min

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Frans de Waal

Life

Why the ‘alpha male’ stereotype is wrong

Big and strong? That's not what makes an alpha male, says primatolgist Frans de Waal.

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3 min

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Frans de Waal

Life

Why people (and chimps) throw temper tantrums

Primatologist Frans de Waal explains the primal instinct that unites humans and chimpanzees.

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3 min

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Frans de Waal

Morality Without Religion

Can we dispatch with religion altogether?

The Biological Basis of Moral Relativism

Biology gives us the general moral sense and the general ability to develop a moral system but the specific rules that we apply in our society are not necessarily given by biology.

Bonobo Taboos: Examining the Primate Hippy Image

Bonobos have sex with everybody basically all the time. Well, not everybody.

We Don’t Need an Evolutionary Explanation for Everything

I feel this tendency to come up with an evolutionary explanation for basically everything under the sun is not needed.

The Ultimatum Game: What Primates Can Teach Us About Inequality

The ultimatum game is the ultimate test of fairness, and chimpanzees passed the test by going for the fair options.

It’s Not a Dog-Eat-Dog World, After All

Darwin literally said that many of the social instincts, as he called it, of the animals are represented in our human morality.

The Moral Heroism of Chimpanzees

Darwin may not have seen that a seemingly altruistic primate can also be quite disastrously aggressive.

Love Bonobos for What They Are

There are many people who love Bonobos precisely for the reason that they are what they are.

When Altruism Defies Evolutionary Logic

Adoption is very common in the human species even though you don’t get much back from it.

Why I’m an Animal Lover

I study animals not to understand humans necessarily although that has become my business, of course.

All Videos

Morality Without Religion

I am optimistic that religion is not strictly needed. But I cannot be a hundred percent sure because there is no human society where religion is totally absent so we […]

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3 min

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Frans de Waal