Doctoral Dissertation Research: Social Transmission Mechanisms of Cumulative Cultural Evolution

博士论文研究：文化累积演化的社会传播机制

• 批准号: 0962135
• 负责人: Lee Cronk
• 金额: $ 1.93万
• 依托单位: Rutgers University New Brunswick
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-07-01 至 2011-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0962135&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Doctoral; Dissertation; Research; Social; Transmission

Rutgers University doctoral student, Helen Wasielewski, under the direction of Dr. Lee Cronk, will investigate the effects of social learning on accumulative social change. The researcher will focus specifically on comparing the effects of imitation (behavior copying) with emulation (copying of products of behavior). Using an experimental micro-society design, which is a laboratory method for simulating cultural generations, the research will (1) improve understanding of how different social learning mechanisms contribute to the evolution of cumulative culture; (2) develop new methods for studying cumulative culture; and (3) contribute to better understanding of human cognitive evolution.The researcher will collect data by videotaping social information transfer in a laboratory setting. Subjects will be asked to construct a weight-supporting device using simple materials and their success will be evaluated by measuring the maximum weight that each constructed device is capable of supporting. The subjects will be videotaped as they work and the tapes subjected to a close analysis to determine the amount and success of information transfer under different social learning conditions. The researcher will focus on (1) the interactions between the type of learning used and the rate of accumulation of changes to culture, (2) the effects of different social learning mechanisms on the fidelity of information transmission, and (3) the efficacy of behavioral information transmission by emulation in the absence of direct access to the behavior itself (that is, by looking solely at successful device examples without being able to observe the behaviors that produced them). This research is important because it will help social scientists to better understand the cognitive changes that were necessary in human evolution for people to develop and pass on complex cultural practices. It also will contribute to understanding how cultural information is transferred between individuals, which is of interest to those concerned with cultural variation and processes of change. Funding this research also supports the education of a social scientist.

罗格斯大学的博士生Helen Wasielewski在Lee Cronk博士的指导下，将研究社会学习对累积社会变化的影响。研究人员将特别关注比较模仿（行为复制）与仿真（行为产品复制）的效果。利用模拟文化代际的实验微社会设计方法，本研究将：(1)加深对不同社会学习机制如何促进累积文化演化的理解；(2)开发研究累积文化的新方法；(3)有助于更好地理解人类的认知进化。研究人员将通过在实验室环境中拍摄社会信息传递的录像来收集数据。受试者将被要求使用简单的材料构建一个重量支撑装置，并通过测量每个构建的装置能够支撑的最大重量来评估他们的成功。研究人员将对研究对象的工作过程进行录像，并对录像进行仔细分析，以确定在不同的社会学习条件下信息传递的数量和成功程度。研究人员将重点关注(1)所使用的学习类型与文化变化积累速度之间的相互作用，(2)不同的社会学习机制对信息传递保真度的影响，以及(3)在没有直接接触行为本身的情况下，通过模仿来传递行为信息的有效性（即，仅通过观察成功的设备示例而无法观察产生它们的行为）。这项研究很重要，因为它将帮助社会科学家更好地理解人类进化过程中认知的变化，这些变化对于人类发展和传承复杂的文化习俗是必要的。它还将有助于了解文化信息如何在个人之间传递，这对那些关注文化变异和变化过程的人来说是很有兴趣的。资助这项研究也支持了社会科学家的教育。