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Serial killers, spiders and cybersex : social and survival information bias in the transmission of urban legends

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Stubbersfield_Tehrani_Flynn_2015_Social_and_Survival_Info.pdf (2.475Mb)
Date
05/2015
Author
Stubbersfield, Joseph M
Tehrani, Jamshid J
Flynn, Emma G
Keywords
Cultural evolution
Cultural transmission
Evolutionary psychology
Content biases
Urban legends
QH301 Biology
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Abstract
This study uses urban legends to examine the effects of the social information bias and survival information bias on cultural transmission across three phases of transmission: the choose-to-receive phase, the encode-and-retrieve phase, and the choose-to-transmit phase. In line with previous research into content biases, a linear transmission chain design with 60 participants aged 18-52 was used to examine the encode-and-retrieve phase, while participants were asked to rank their interest in reading the story behind a headline and passing a story on for the other two phases. Legends which contained social information (Social Type), legends which contained survival information (Survival Type), and legends which contained both forms of information (Combined Type) were all recalled with significantly greater accuracy than control material, while Social and Combined Type legends were recalled with significantly greater accuracy than Survival Type legends. In another study with 30 participants aged 18-22, no significant differences were found between legend types in either the choose-to-receive phase or the choose-to-transmit phase.
Citation
Stubbersfield , J M , Tehrani , J J & Flynn , E G 2015 , ' Serial killers, spiders and cybersex : social and survival information bias in the transmission of urban legends ' , British Journal of Psychology , vol. 106 , no. 2 , pp. 288-307 . https://doi.org/10.1111/bjop.12073
Publication
British Journal of Psychology
Status
Peer reviewed
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1111/bjop.12073
ISSN
0007-1269
Type
Journal article
Rights
© 2015, Publisher / the Author(s). This work is made available online in accordance with the publisher’s policies. This is the author created, accepted version manuscript following peer review and may differ slightly from the final published version. The final published version of this work is available at onlinelibrary.wiley.com / https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bjop.12073
Description
Date of Acceptance: 02/05/2014
Collections
  • University of St Andrews Research
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/9048

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