Behavioral constraints and the evolution of faithful social learning
Authored by Alberto Acerbi, Claudio Tennie, Pierre O Jacquet
Date Published: 2012
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Abstract
Behavioral ``traditions{''}, i.e. behavioral patterns that are acquired
with the aid of social learning and that are relatively stable in a
group, have been observed in several species. Recently, however, it has
been questioned whether non-human social learning is faithful enough to
stabilize those patterns. The observed stability could be interpreted as
a result of various constraints that limit the number of possible
alternative behaviors, rather than of the fidelity of transmission
mechanisms. Those constraints can be roughly described as
``internal{''}, such as mechanical (bodily) properties or cognitive
limitations and predispositions, and ``external{''}, such as ecological
availability or pressures. Here we present an evolutionary
individual-based model that explores the relationships between the
evolution of faithful social learning and behavioral constraints, represented both by the size of the behavioral repertoire and by the
``shape{''} of the search space of a given task. We show that the
evolution of high-fidelity transmission mechanisms, when associated with
costs (e. g. cognitive, biomechanical, energetic, etc.), is only likely
if the potential behavioral repertoire of a species is large and if the
search space does not provide information that can be exploited by
individual learning. Moreover we show how stable behavioral patterns
({''}traditions{''}) can be achieved at the population level as an
outcome of both high-fidelity and low-fidelity transmission mechanisms, given that the latter are coupled with a small behavioral repertoire or
with a search space that provide substantial feedback. Finally, by
introducing the possibility of environmental change, we show that
intermediate rates of change favor the evolution of faithful social
learning {[}Current Zoology 58 (2): 307-318, 2012].
Tags
environment
Predation
Cultural Transmission
imitation
chimpanzees
Children
Experimental simulation
Enhancement
Traditions
Emulation