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The evolution of high-fidelity social learning
Marcel Montrey1, Thomas R Shultz2
1Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
Proceedings. Biological Sciences
|June 11, 2020
Summary
High-fidelity social learning, crucial for cumulative cultural evolution (CCE), thrives when learning is cheap and traits are complex. Low-fidelity learning is favored in simpler conditions, explaining why CCE is rare in nature.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Cognitive science
- Anthropology
Background:
- Human culture is characterized by continuous knowledge and technological advancement.
- Cumulative cultural evolution (CCE) relies heavily on accurate information preservation.
- CCE may be absent in other species due to a lack of specialized, high-fidelity social learning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To model the evolution of high-fidelity versus low-fidelity social learning.
- To identify conditions favoring each type of social learning.
- To explain the rarity of CCE in non-human species.
Main Methods:
- Developed a Bayesian model.
- Contrasted evolutionary pathways for high-fidelity and low-fidelity social learning.
- Analyzed the impact of factors like learning costs, trait complexity, and problem difficulty.
Main Results:
- High-fidelity transmission evolves when social and individual learning are inexpensive, traits are complex, individual learning is abundant, problems are difficult, and behavior is flexible.
- Low-fidelity transmission evolves when individual learning is costly and infrequent, and is more robust for simple traits and easy problems.
- The stricter or harder-to-meet conditions for high-fidelity transmission may explain the prevalence of social learning but rarity of CCE.
Conclusions:
- The evolution of social learning fidelity is contingent on environmental and cognitive factors.
- Specific conditions are necessary for the development of cumulative cultural evolution.
- Differences in social learning fidelity may be a key factor limiting CCE in non-human animals.
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