7. Imitation, teaching and culture

Cultural transmission and social learning spread through…

imitation

Mechanisms of social learning

1. instrumental leaning

2. stimulus enhancement

3. social facilitation

4. contagion

5. emulation

Instrumental learning

behaviours strengthened/weakened by consequences

Example experiment confusion: Imo the macaque

• scientists put food onto beach

• macaque took food into water

• sand washes away

• scientists put mote food when behaviour observed

• behaviour spread through group

Interpretation of experiment can be confused by…

reward

Example of rewarding training the animal to perform behaviour and not learn: baby dolphins

imitated sea lion and human smoking, public responded by clapping so continues to perform particular moves - trained through instrumental learning confused with imitation

Stimulus enhancement

learning by watching others with a particular object/area of interest, leading to investigation of object/area

Example of stimulus enhancement:Sherry and Galef 1984