(2) Culture in Animals

Question 1

Inadvertent vs. Supervised Learning

Answer 1

• Inadvertent Social Learning (implicit/passive): observation alone
• Supervised learning (explicit/active): teaching
  [demonstration]
  [no demonstration]

Question 2

Vocal Learning in Songbirds

Answer 2

In most species, males sing, and they learn their songs from their fathers. This is an example of one-to-one social learning.

Question 3

Are sophisticated social learning mechanisms necessary to generate cultural traditions?

Answer 3

No. As such, many species of animal show cultural traditions.

ie. primates, cetaceans, birds, fish.

Question 4

Do animals have culture?

Answer 4

Only humans exhibit a fully Darwinian model of culture, as only humans exhibit cumulative culture.

Animals exhibit one-to-one social learning and group traditions, but not cumulative culture. They are capable of modifying behaviour, but these do not accrue across generations and don’t move beyond what one individual can invent for themselves.

There is also no evidence of institutions and norms in animals.

Question 5

What is imitation?

Answer 5

Trajectory copying.

Question 6

What is emulation?

Answer 6

Outcome copying.

Question 7

Imitation in Chimps vs. Children

Answer 7

Chimpanzees can imitate actions, but lack an understanding of the goals of the demonstrator.

Human children have a compulsion to imitate and be taught. Children often over-imitate (copy irrelevant details).

Question 8

High-fidelity copying

Answer 8

Very faithful, accurate.

Question 9

Low-fidelity copying

Answer 9

General, not as accurate.

Question 10

Teaching in Humans

Answer 10

Part of one-to-one social learning.

• Demonstrational teaching and rehearsal may be unique to humans.
• May be an important prerequisite for cumulative culture
• Increases the fidelity of transmission
• Is a form of altruism
• Requires the teacher to infer the knowledge state of the pupil