Bumblebees socially learn behaviour too complex to innovate alone

Nature, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 627(8004), С. 572 - 578

Опубликована: Март 6, 2024

Abstract Culture refers to behaviours that are socially learned and persist within a population over time. Increasing evidence suggests animal culture can, like human culture, be cumulative: characterized by sequential innovations build on previous ones 1 . However, cumulative involves so complex they lie beyond the capacity of any individual independently discover during their lifetime 1–3 To our knowledge, no study has far demonstrated this phenomenon in an invertebrate. Here we show bumblebees can learn from trained demonstrator bees open novel two-step puzzle box obtain food rewards, even though fail do independently. Experimenters were unable train perform unrewarded first step without providing temporary reward linked action, which was removed later stages training. third naive observer these demonstrators, ever being rewarded after step. This social learning might permit acquisition too ‘re-innovate’ through learning. Furthermore, failed despite extended exposure for up 24 days. finding challenges common opinion field: cannot innovated trial error is unique humans.

Язык: Английский

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The growing methodological toolkit for identifying and studying social learning and culture in non-human animals

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 380(1925)

Опубликована: Май 1, 2025

There is a growing consensus that animals' socially transmitted knowledge should be recognized when planning conservation management, but demonstrating social learning or culture can present considerable challenges, especially in the wild. Fortunately, decades of research have spawned rich methodological toolkit for exactly this purpose. Here, we review principal approaches, including: experiments; analyses natural experimentally seeded diffusions novel behaviours, sometimes using specialist statistical techniques; mapping behavioural variation across neighbouring, sympatric captive groups, at larger scales; and assessment aspects cross-generational transmission, including teaching, during ontogenetic development cumulative change. Some methods reviewed were developed studies, subsequently been adapted application wild, are useful exploring species' general propensity to learn transmit information socially. We highlight several emerging 'rapid assessment' approaches-including camera trapping, passive acoustic monitoring, animal-borne tags, AI-assisted data mining computer simulations-that prove addressing particularly urgent needs. conclude by considering how best use practice, guide further on animal cultures, maximize policy impact.This article part theme issue 'Animal culture: changing world'.

Язык: Английский

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Knowledge transmission, culture and the consequences of social disruption in wild elephants

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 380(1925)

Опубликована: Май 1, 2025

Cultural knowledge is widely presumed to be important for elephants. In all three elephant species, individuals tend congregate around older conspecifics, creating opportunities social transmission. However, direct evidence of learning and cultural traditions in elephants scarce. Here, we briefly outline that then provide a systematic review how societies respond the loss potentially knowledgeable or transfer, which characterize as disruption. We consider observations from 95 peer-reviewed, primary research papers describe disruption networks via removal death individuals. Natural deaths were mentioned 14 papers, while 70 detailed human-caused Grouping descriptions according consequences behaviour sociality, demography fitness, show severely disrupted populations are less cohesive, may exhibit reduced fitness calf survival inappropriately threats predators. suggest severe can inhibit break potential pathways information transmission, providing indirect role transmission This has implications conservation amid increasing anthropogenic change across their habitats.This article part theme issue 'Animal culture: changing world'.

Язык: Английский

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Biased cultural transmission of a social custom in chimpanzees

Science Advances, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 9(7)

Опубликована: Фев. 15, 2023

Cultural transmission studies in animals have predominantly focused on identifying between-group variation tool-use techniques, while immaterial cultures remain understudied despite their potential for highlighting similarities between human and animal culture. Here, using long-term data from two chimpanzee communities, we tested whether one of chimpanzees' most enigmatic social customs-the grooming handclasp-is culturally transmitted by investigating the influence well-documented biases variational preferences. After differences style preferences show that older dominant individuals exert more over partners' handclasp styles. Mothers were equally likely to offspring's as nonkin, indicating styles are both vertically obliquely. Last, gradually converged group style, suggesting conformity guides Our findings lives influenced cultural hitherto thought be uniquely human.

Язык: Английский

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Chimpanzees use social information to acquire a skill they fail to innovate

Nature Human Behaviour, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 8(5), С. 891 - 902

Опубликована: Март 6, 2024

Abstract Cumulative cultural evolution has been claimed to be a uniquely human phenomenon pivotal the biological success of our species. One plausible condition for cumulative emerge is individuals’ ability use social learning acquire know-how that they cannot easily innovate by themselves. It suggested chimpanzees may capable such learning, but this assertion remains largely untested. Here we show skill failed independently innovate. By teaching how solve sequential task (one chimpanzee in each two tested groups, n = 66) and using network-based diffusion analysis, found 14 naive learned operate puzzle box during preceding three months exposure all necessary materials. In conjunction, present evidence hypothesis sufficient new, complex after initial innovation.

Язык: 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, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 45, С. 6 - 24

Опубликована: Март 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.

Язык: Английский

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Flexible Cultural Learning Through Action Coordination

Perspectives on Psychological Science, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 19(1), С. 201 - 222

Опубликована: Июль 17, 2023

The cultural transmission of technical know-how has proven vital to the success our species. broad diversity learning contexts and social configurations, as well various kinds coordinated interactions they involve, speaks capacity flexibly adapt succeed in transmitting knowledge contexts. Although often recognized by ethnographers, flexibility so far received little attention terms cognitive mechanisms. We argue that a key feature is both models learners recruit mechanisms action coordination modulate their behavior contingently on partner, generating process mutual adaptation supporting successful skills diverse fluctuating environments. propose study would benefit from experimental methods, results, insights joint-action research and, complementarily, field could expand its scope integrating dimension. Bringing these two fields together promises enrich understanding learning, contextual flexibility, joint coordination.

Язык: Английский

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What we know and don't know about great ape cultural communication in the wild

American Journal of Primatology, Год журнала: 2023, Номер unknown

Опубликована: Окт. 12, 2023

Abstract Following the first descriptions of culture in primates, widespread agreement has developed that term can be applied to nonhumans as group‐specific, socially learned behaviors. While behaviors such those involving extractive tool use have been researched intensively, we propose are more subtle, less likely ecologically constrained, and shaped, cultural forms communication, provide compelling evidence nonhuman primates. Additionally, communication novel insights into animal cognition capacity for conformity, conventionalized meanings, arbitrariness signal forms, even symbolism. In this paper focus on from studies conducted wild great apes. First, a thorough review what exactly do know, by extension don't about ape communication. We argue detailed research both vocal gestural apes shows nuanced variable repertoire than once assumed, with increasing support group‐specific variation. Second, discuss relevance its potential illustrating evolutionary continuity human‐like attributes, namely cumulative sum, concerted effort examine could reveal capacities thus far heavily debated literature simultaneously contribute an improved understanding complex minds our closest living relatives.

Язык: Английский

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What made us “hunter-gatherers of words”

Frontiers in Neuroscience, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 17

Опубликована: Фев. 9, 2023

This paper makes three interconnected claims: (i) the “human condition” cannot be captured by evolutionary narratives that reduce it to a recent ‘cognitive modernity', nor eliminates all cognitive differences between us and out closest extinct relatives, (ii) signals from paleogenomics, especially coming deserts of introgression but also signatures positive selection, point importance mutations impact neurodevelopment, plausibly leading temperamental differences, which may cultural trajectories in specific ways, (iii) these are expected affect language phenotypes, modifying what is being learned how put use. In particular, I hypothesize different influence development symbolic systems, flexible ways symbols combine, size configurations communities systems

Язык: Английский

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The ontogeny of chimpanzee technological efficiency

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Год журнала: 2024, Номер unknown

Опубликована: Июль 31, 2024

Abstract Primate extractive foraging requires years of dedicated learning. Throughout this period, learners peer at conspecifics engaging in the behaviour (“models”), interacting with model and their tools, sometimes stealing freshly extracted resource. This also corresponds to an extended period tolerance from models. Yet long-term effect variation experiences during on technological efficiency individuals is unknown for primate tool use, no research has assessed role both learner model(s) generating individual differences. Using >680 hours video spanning 25 years, we whether stone use social learning (“early period”; ages 0–5) predicted post-early (ages 6+) wild chimpanzees Bossou, Guinea. We found that varied how frequently they peered models’ whole nut-cracking bouts, many opportunities mothers presented, amount intolerance experienced all selected Learners who more became less efficient users, whereas were exposed efficient. Peering bout decreased subsequent efficiency, hinting acquiring cultural components behaviour. Our findings highlight acquisition support view within a tolerant environment are key explaining emergence maintenance complex forms technology. Significance Statement The capacity inclination learn others, along provided by groupmates, thought have enabled evolution technology primates, including hominins. influence remains non-human primates but significant implications transmission evolution. provide longitudinal hypothesis exposure development predicts efficiency. Moreover, show low amounts tolerance, not just general ontogeny Finally, find aspects behavioural relating accurate traits rather than tools efficiently.

Язык: Английский

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