Blind alleys and fruitful pathways in the comparative study of cultural cognition

Physics of Life Reviews, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 43, P. 211 - 238

Published: Oct. 21, 2022

A mere few decades ago, culture was thought a unique human attribute. Evidence to the contrary accumulated through latter part of twentieth century and has exploded in present one, demonstrating transmission traditions social learning across all principal vertebrate taxa even invertebrates, notably insects. The scope is nevertheless highly distinctive. What makes our cultural capacities their cognitive underpinnings so different? In this article I argue that behavioural scientists' endeavours answer question, fruitful research pathways ensuing discoveries have come exist alongside popular, yet light current empirical evidence, questionable scenarios scientific blind alleys. particularly re-evaluate theories rely on centrality supposed uniquely capacity for imitative copying explaining distinctive massive cumulative evolution (CCE) species. most extreme versions perspective suffer logical incoherence severe limits testability. By contrast field generated range rigorous observational experimental methodologies revealed both long-term fidelity limited forms CCE non-human Attention now turns directly investigating scope, underlying cognition versus CCE, with broader approach factors additional transmission, role invention, innovation evolved motivational biases species studied.

Language: Английский

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Why do chimpanzees have diverse behavioral repertoires yet lack more complex cultures? Invention and social information use in a cumulative task

Evolution and Human Behavior, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 42(3), P. 247 - 258

Published: Dec. 17, 2020

Language: Английский

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Resource origins and search

Strategic Management Journal, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 44(6), P. 1514 - 1533

Published: Oct. 23, 2021

Abstract Research Summary The search for new resources is costly and difficult within the resource‐based view. Because costly, a common prescription firms to focus on their endowments—the they already possess. However, there way somehow find value amongst “vast reservoirs” of external resources? We review existing forms resource then suggest an alternative. Extending arguments from biology, we develop idea firm‐specific image highlight how images can reveal not obvious others. notion speaks might uniquely identify dormant resources, even in seemingly efficient factor markets. conclude with discussion our pertain view origins resources. Managerial How do managers entrepreneurs search, identify, assets relentlessly competitive markets? Existing largely that should engage “external” search—instead “inside,” leveraging endowments argue vast reservoirs are available, particular form offers powerful alternative “look inside.” Specifically, “search image” enable see In particular, functional need—and solution formulated problem—can help recognize create value.

Language: Английский

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To copy or not to copy? That is the question! From chimpanzees to the foundation of human technological culture

Physics of Life Reviews, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 45, P. 6 - 24

Published: March 6, 2023

A prerequisite for copying innovative behaviour faithfully is the capacity of observers' brains, regarded as 'hierarchically mechanistic minds', to overcome cognitive 'surprisal' (see 2.), by maximising evidence their internal models, through active inference. Unlike modern humans, chimpanzees and other great apes show considerable limitations in ability, or 'Zone Bounded Surprisal', surprisal induced unorthodox that rarely, therefore, copied precisely accurately. Most can copy adequately what within phenotypically habitual behavioural repertoire, which technology plays scant part. Widespread intra- intergenerational social transmission complex technological innovations not a hall-mark great-ape taxa. 3 Ma, precursors genus Homo made stone artefacts, stone-flaking likely was before 2 Ma. After time, early erectus has left traces innovations, though faithful these were rare 1 This owed cerebral infrastructure interconnected neuronal systems more limited than ours. Brains smaller size ours, ceased develop when attained full adult maturity mid-teen years, whereas its development continues until our mid-twenties nowadays. Pleistocene underwent remarkable evolutionary adaptation neurobiological propensities, aspects are discussed that, it proposed here, plausibly, fundamental copying, underpinned technologies, cumulative learning, culture. Here, responses an innovation important ensuring innovator's production it, because, themselves, minimal prerequisites needed encoding assimilating insufficient practical outcomes accumulate spread intergenerationally.

Language: Английский

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Toddlers, Tools, and Tech: The Cognitive Ontogenesis of Innovation

Trends in Cognitive Sciences, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 25(1), P. 81 - 92

Published: Nov. 20, 2020

Language: Английский

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Did climate change make Homo sapiens innovative, and if yes, how? Debated perspectives on the African Pleistocene record

Quaternary Science Advances, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 14, P. 100179 - 100179

Published: March 8, 2024

Our enhanced capacity to innovate is a key feature that sets Homo sapiens apart as species. The Middle Stone Age archaeological record of Pleistocene Africa documents the emergence and elaboration this capacity, its relationship changes in past climate environments. However, models interpretations developed understand between early sapiens' innovativeness change are varied often contradictory. Here, we review these contrasting interpretations. We contend while may have influenced human innovation, it was an inconsistent multifaceted way.

Language: Английский

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Human culture is uniquely open-ended rather than uniquely cumulative

Nature Human Behaviour, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Nov. 7, 2024

Language: Английский

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Complex object manipulations in an innovative extractive foraging of coconut by an adult male long-tailed macaque Macaca fascicularis (Raffles, 1821) in Southern Philippines

Journal of Ethology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: March 24, 2025

Language: Английский

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Developmental Changes in Feeding Behavior and Maternal Influences in Wild Javan Gibbons (Hylobates moloch)

International Journal of Primatology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: April 26, 2025

Language: Английский

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Exploring the role of individual learning in animal tool-use

PeerJ, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 8, P. e9877 - e9877

Published: Sept. 25, 2020

The notion that tool-use is unique to humans has long been refuted by the growing number of observations animals using tools across various contexts. Yet, mechanisms behind emergence and sustenance these repertoires are still heavily debated. We argue current animal behaviour literature biased towards a social learning approach, in which animal, particular primate, thought require (copying variants most often invoked). However, concrete evidence for widespread dependency on lacking. On other hand, body observational experimental data demonstrates species capable acquiring forms their behaviours via individual learning, with (non-copying) regulating frequencies behavioural within (and, indirectly, between) groups. As first outline extent role tool-use, review reports spontaneous acquisition was carried out studies. results this suggest perhaps due pervasive focus literature, accounts naïve may have largely overlooked, importance under-examined.

Language: Английский

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