Foragers in the middle Limpopo Valley: trade, place-making, and social complexity, written by Tim Forssman

Group size in primates is strongly correlated with brain size, but exactly what makes larger groups more ‘socially complex’ than smaller groups is still poorly understood. Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and gorillas (Gorilla gorilla) are among our closest living relatives and are excellent model species to investigate patterns of sociality and social complexity in primates, and to inform models of human social evolution. The aim of this paper is to propose new research frameworks, particularly the use of social network analysis, to examine how social structure differs in small, medium and large groups of chimpanzees and gorillas, to explore what makes larger groups more socially complex than smaller groups. Given a fission-fusion system is likely to have characterised hominins, a comparison of the social complexity involved in fission-fusion and more stable social systems is likely to provide important new insights into human social evolution

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Sense of Place in Place Making of Creative Multimedia Foundation Studies Annual Exhibition

International Journal of Creative Multimedia ◽

10.33093/ijcm.2020.1.2.3 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 1 (2) ◽

pp. 34-56

Author(s):

Elyna Amir Sharji ◽

Lim Yan Peng ◽

Peter Charles Woods ◽

Vimala Perumal ◽

Rose Linda Zainal Abidin

Keyword(s):

Observational Study ◽

Sense Of Place ◽

Sense Of Belonging ◽

Social Values ◽

Empty Space ◽

Design Criteria ◽

Visitor Experience ◽

Place Making ◽

Individual Behaviour ◽

The People

The challenge of transforming an empty space into a gallery setting takes on the concept of place making. A place can be seen as space that has meaning when the setting considers space, surroundings, contents, the people and its activities. This research concentrates on investigating how visitors perceive the space by gauging their sense of place (sense of belonging towards a place). Galleries are currently facing changes in this technological era whereby multiple content and context, space and form, display modes, tools and devices are introduced in one single space. An observational study was done during the Foundation Studies Annual Exhibition held at Faculty of Creative Multimedia, Multimedia University. The exhibition was curated and managed by staff and students of Foundation Year showcasing an array of design works. Analogue and digital presentations of paintings, drawings, sculptures, photography and video works were displayed.. The outcome of this research will contribute towards a better design criteria of place making which affects individual behaviour, social values and attitudes. Characterizing types of visitor experience will improve the understanding of a better design criteria of place making, acceptance, understanding and satisfaction.

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