Evaluating the relative contributions of copying and reconstruction processes in cultural transmission episodes.

The ability to transmit information between individuals through social learning is a foundational component of cultural evolution. However, how this transmission occurs is still debated. On the one hand, the copying account draws parallels with biological mechanisms for genetic inheritance, arguing...

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Autores principales:	James W A Strachan, Arianna Curioni, Merryn D Constable, Günther Knoblich, Mathieu Charbonneau
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2021
Materias:	Medicine R Science Q
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/4f73a9250af94215b5271faf711aa56e
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:4f73a9250af94215b5271faf711aa56e2021-12-02T20:14:36ZEvaluating the relative contributions of copying and reconstruction processes in cultural transmission episodes.1932-620310.1371/journal.pone.0256901https://doaj.org/article/4f73a9250af94215b5271faf711aa56e2021-01-01T00:00:00Zhttps://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0256901https://doaj.org/toc/1932-6203The ability to transmit information between individuals through social learning is a foundational component of cultural evolution. However, how this transmission occurs is still debated. On the one hand, the copying account draws parallels with biological mechanisms for genetic inheritance, arguing that learners copy what they observe and novel variations occur through random copying errors. On the other hand, the reconstruction account claims that, rather than directly copying behaviour, learners reconstruct the information that they believe to be most relevant on the basis of pragmatic inference, environmental and contextual cues. Distinguishing these two accounts empirically is difficult based on data from typical transmission chain studies because the predictions they generate frequently overlap. In this study we present a methodological approach that generates different predictions of these accounts by manipulating the task context between model and learner in a transmission episode. We then report an empirical proof-of-concept that applies this approach. The results show that, when a model introduces context-dependent embedded signals to their actions that are not intended to be transmitted, it is possible to empirically distinguish between competing predictions made by these two accounts. Our approach can therefore serve to understand the underlying cognitive mechanisms at play in cultural transmission and can make important contributions to the debate between preservative and reconstructive schools of thought.James W A StrachanArianna CurioniMerryn D ConstableGünther KnoblichMathieu CharbonneauPublic Library of Science (PLoS)articleMedicineRScienceQENPLoS ONE, Vol 16, Iss 9, p e0256901 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	Medicine R Science Q
spellingShingle	Medicine R Science Q James W A Strachan Arianna Curioni Merryn D Constable Günther Knoblich Mathieu Charbonneau Evaluating the relative contributions of copying and reconstruction processes in cultural transmission episodes.
description	The ability to transmit information between individuals through social learning is a foundational component of cultural evolution. However, how this transmission occurs is still debated. On the one hand, the copying account draws parallels with biological mechanisms for genetic inheritance, arguing that learners copy what they observe and novel variations occur through random copying errors. On the other hand, the reconstruction account claims that, rather than directly copying behaviour, learners reconstruct the information that they believe to be most relevant on the basis of pragmatic inference, environmental and contextual cues. Distinguishing these two accounts empirically is difficult based on data from typical transmission chain studies because the predictions they generate frequently overlap. In this study we present a methodological approach that generates different predictions of these accounts by manipulating the task context between model and learner in a transmission episode. We then report an empirical proof-of-concept that applies this approach. The results show that, when a model introduces context-dependent embedded signals to their actions that are not intended to be transmitted, it is possible to empirically distinguish between competing predictions made by these two accounts. Our approach can therefore serve to understand the underlying cognitive mechanisms at play in cultural transmission and can make important contributions to the debate between preservative and reconstructive schools of thought.
format	article
author	James W A Strachan Arianna Curioni Merryn D Constable Günther Knoblich Mathieu Charbonneau
author_facet	James W A Strachan Arianna Curioni Merryn D Constable Günther Knoblich Mathieu Charbonneau
author_sort	James W A Strachan
title	Evaluating the relative contributions of copying and reconstruction processes in cultural transmission episodes.
title_short	Evaluating the relative contributions of copying and reconstruction processes in cultural transmission episodes.
title_full	Evaluating the relative contributions of copying and reconstruction processes in cultural transmission episodes.
title_fullStr	Evaluating the relative contributions of copying and reconstruction processes in cultural transmission episodes.
title_full_unstemmed	Evaluating the relative contributions of copying and reconstruction processes in cultural transmission episodes.
title_sort	evaluating the relative contributions of copying and reconstruction processes in cultural transmission episodes.
publisher	Public Library of Science (PLoS)
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/4f73a9250af94215b5271faf711aa56e
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Evaluating the relative contributions of copying and reconstruction processes in cultural transmission episodes.

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