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Selective copying of the majority suggests children are broadly "optimal-" rather than "over-" imitators
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dc.contributor.author | Evans, Cara L. | |
dc.contributor.author | Laland, Kevin N. | |
dc.contributor.author | Carpenter, Malinda | |
dc.contributor.author | Kendal, Rachel L | |
dc.date.accessioned | 2018-12-17T00:35:48Z | |
dc.date.available | 2018-12-17T00:35:48Z | |
dc.date.issued | 2018-08-29 | |
dc.identifier | 251327467 | |
dc.identifier | 43a2e8e8-37f6-4b6b-8850-b734aa0ce7e4 | |
dc.identifier | 85038223219 | |
dc.identifier | 000442987400009 | |
dc.identifier.citation | Evans , C L , Laland , K N , Carpenter , M & Kendal , R L 2018 , ' Selective copying of the majority suggests children are broadly "optimal-" rather than "over-" imitators ' , Developmental Science , vol. 21 , no. 5 , e12637 . https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.12637 | en |
dc.identifier.issn | 1363-755X | |
dc.identifier.other | ORCID: /0000-0002-2457-0900/work/60630425 | |
dc.identifier.other | ORCID: /0000-0003-3983-2034/work/64698034 | |
dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/10023/16702 | |
dc.description | This research was supported by an ERC Advanced Investigator grant (EVOCULTURE, Ref: 232823) awarded to KNL, and a BBSRC studentship awarded to CLE. | en |
dc.description.abstract | Human children, in contrast to other species, are frequently cast as prolific “over-imitators”. However, previous studies of “over-imitation” have overlooked many important real-world social dynamics, and may thus provide an inaccurate account of this seemingly puzzling and potentially maladaptive phenomenon. Here we investigate this topic using a cultural evolutionary approach, focusing particularly on the key adaptive learning strategy of majority-biased copying. Most “over-imitation” research has been conducted using consistent demonstrations to the observer, but we systematically varied the frequency of demonstrators that 4- to 6-year-old children observed performing a causally irrelevant action. Children who “over-imitate” inflexibly should copy the majority regardless of whether the majority solution omits or includes a causally irrelevant action. However, we found that children calibrated their tendency to acquire the majority behavior, such that copying did not extend to majorities that performed irrelevant actions. These results are consistent with a highly functional, adaptive integration of social and causal information, rather than explanations implying unselective copying or causal misunderstanding. This suggests that our species might be better characterized as broadly “optimal-” rather than “over-” imitators. | |
dc.format.extent | 3499718 | |
dc.language.iso | eng | |
dc.relation.ispartof | Developmental Science | en |
dc.subject | Over-imitation | en |
dc.subject | Majority-biased copying | en |
dc.subject | Conformity | en |
dc.subject | Cultural evolution | en |
dc.subject | Cultural transmission | en |
dc.subject | Social learning | en |
dc.subject | BF Psychology | en |
dc.subject | NDAS | en |
dc.subject | BDC | en |
dc.subject | R2C | en |
dc.subject.lcc | BF | en |
dc.title | Selective copying of the majority suggests children are broadly "optimal-" rather than "over-" imitators | en |
dc.type | Journal article | en |
dc.contributor.sponsor | European Research Council | en |
dc.contributor.institution | University of St Andrews. School of Biology | en |
dc.contributor.institution | University of St Andrews. Scottish Oceans Institute | en |
dc.contributor.institution | University of St Andrews. Institute of Behavioural and Neural Sciences | en |
dc.contributor.institution | University of St Andrews. Centre for Social Learning & Cognitive Evolution | en |
dc.contributor.institution | University of St Andrews. School of Psychology and Neuroscience | en |
dc.contributor.institution | University of St Andrews. Centre for Biological Diversity | en |
dc.identifier.doi | 10.1111/desc.12637 | |
dc.description.status | Peer reviewed | en |
dc.date.embargoedUntil | 2018-12-17 | |
dc.identifier.url | https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/desc.12637#support-information-section | en |
dc.identifier.grantnumber | en |
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