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Collective Memory in Animals
Lucas Manuel Bietti1, Federica Amici2,3
1Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews. Cognitive Science
|May 31, 2026
Summary
Collective memory, shared knowledge within groups, is explored in animals. Research suggests animals possess precursors to collective memory, supporting group coordination and traditions.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Science
- Ethology
- Comparative Psychology
Background:
- Collective memory in humans involves shared individual memories, crucial for social identity and cultural continuity.
- Human collective memory emerges via language, social influence, and distributed cognition, aiding cooperation and cultural transmission.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose a comparative framework for understanding collective memory in nonhuman animals.
- To examine functional precursors of human collective memory mechanisms in other species.
Main Methods:
- Outlining cognitive foundations of human collective memory (episodic, semantic, autobiographical memory; conformity, social contagion, transactive memory systems, rituals).
- Examining animal cognition for functional precursors to these human mechanisms.
Main Results:
- Animals exhibit episodic-like and semantic-like memory, social learning, conformity, and distributed information systems.
- These processes enable groups to store, transmit, and update knowledge beyond individual capabilities, supporting traditions and coordinated action.
Conclusions:
- Nonhuman animals lack autonoetic consciousness and human-like autobiographical memory.
- Collective memory should be viewed as a graded phenomenon rooted in distributed cognition, present in varying degrees across species.
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