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Lecture 25
Today
Overview of Rest of Semester
Topics
Readings
Tomasello (Learning by imitation)
Summary of Lectures on Evolution
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Lecture 25
Non Human Primate Culture
Japanese Macaque Potato Washing
Not that unusual
Pattern and slow spread of behavior
Chimpanzee Tool Use
Culture shaped by environment
Not true learning by imitation
Actions of other can cue pre-existing behaviors
Emulation learning (focus on environment rather than
teacher)
Chimps lack of shared attention and of understanding of
actions of others
Emulation learning with learning less efficient strategy
by imitating adult
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Lecture 25
Non Human Primate Culture (continued)
Chimpanzee Gestural Communication
Leaf Clipping:
“others learned via emulation to make the same noise (i.e.
they learned the affordances of the leaf). This had
different attention-getting effects on conspecifics in the
different groups, however, and these were then learned
as contingencies.” (521)
Ontogenetic Ritualization
“a communicatory signal is created by two organisms
shaping each otherís behavior in repeated instances of
a social interaction”
Tomasello (1997)
Taught chimp single to obtain food reward
Up back in colony where she used signal to get food
Not ONE other chimp learned to make the same signal
Communication signal are ideosyncraftic!!!
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Lecture 25
Non Human Primate Culture (continued)
Nonhuman Primate Social Learning and Social Cognition
Teaching central part of any human culture
Boesch (1991)
Use of “hammer and anvil” to crack nuts
“Boesch discovered that a mother does a number of
things that serve to facilitate the infants activities with
the tool and nuts, such as leaving the tools idle while
she goes to gather more nuts (which she would not do if
another adult were present).”
Mother’s intentions not clear. Only two ambiguous examples
in several years of observation.
All of the above conflict with data on theory of mind
Distinction between manipulating behavior and
manipulating mental states
Chimps cannot do TRUE imitative learning which is
foundation for cultural transmission
Enculturated Apes and Imitation
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Lecture 25
Species Unique Human Behaviors
Creation and Use of Symbols
Creation and Use of Complex Tools
Creating and Participation in Complex Social Organizations
and Institutions
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Lecture 25
All This Occurred In A Very Short Time
Span
6 Million Years Ago: Split Between Humans and Apes
Next 4 Million Years: Various Species of Australopithicines
Brain size around 500cc (Ape like)
Bipedal
Last 2 Million Years; Genius Homo
Last 50,000: Clear evidence of human culture
Two little for the evolution to have generated big differences
in ape and human cognition
Find small difference that generates huge differences in
behavior
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Lecture 25
Alternative Models of Human Evolution
Linnda R. Caporael
Inclusive Fitness (Evolutionary Psychology)
Cosmides-Tooby, Jones
Gene’s eye view of evolution (selfish genes)
General Selection Theories
Based on Darwinian Principles
Focal Trait and adaptive advantage of this trait
Donald (1991)
Calvin and Brickerton (2000)
Lots of others
Sociality Theories
Dunbar (1993)
Machiavellian intelligence (Byrne & Whiten 1988)
Complexities of group living and social exchange
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Lecture 25
Multilevel Evolutionary Theories
Other levels where selection can occur
(e.g. chromosomes, individuals, groups).
Dual inheritance (Culture and genes)
Boyd and Richardson
Tomasello
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