The gibbons (family Hylobatidae) represent one of world’s most threatened group of taxa. In theory they are an attractive group for interdisciplinary research but are often unconsciously overlooked. We conducted a systematic review in Web of Science and Google Scholar between January 1900 and February 2020 using PRISMA guidelines and strict search criteria to investigate (1) the number of mixed-method biosocial studies published on gibbons; (2) focus species and countries; (3) social analytical approaches used; and (4) the success of this approach in elucidating conservation issues. Only 31 mixed-method biosocial studies have been published on gibbons, 56 per cent on Nomascus species but none on Symphalangus. China and Vietnam were the most popular study locations. Optimistically, 68 per cent of publications were led by gibbon-range country researchers, but only 48 per cent of studies represented international collaborations; 81 per cent of studies addressed a conservation-related topic, highlighting the potential efficacy of using this approach in primate conservation research. However, few studies provided details of data collection methods, methods of analysis and sample sizes, and only one study used an anthropological analytical approach. We therefore encourage further cross-disciplinary international collaborations to better our understanding of human–gibbon relations on a deeper, more contextual level.