Abstract
Through cultural transmission, repeated learning by new individuals transforms cultural infor-mation, which tends to become increasingly compressible (Kirby, Cornish, & Smith, 2008; Smith,Tamariz, & Kirby, 2013). Existing diffusion chain studies include in their desi gn two processesthat could be responsible for this tendency: learning (storing patterns in memory) and reproducing(producing the patterns again). This paper manipulates the presence of learning in a simple iter-ated drawing design experiment. We find that learning seems to be the causal factor behind theincrease in compressibility observed in the transmitted information, while reproducing is a sourceof random heritable innovations. Only a theo ry invoking these two aspects of cultural learning willbe able to explain human culture’s fundamental balance between stability and innovation.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 171-183 |
Journal | Cognitive Science |
Volume | 39 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Jan 2015 |
Keywords
- cultural transmission
- iterated learning
- conventionality
- compressibility
- imitation
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Monica Tamariz
- School of Social Sciences - Associate Professor
- School of Social Sciences, Psychology - Associate Professor
Person: Academic (Research & Teaching)