Copying fidelity of functional and non-functional features in ni-Vanuatu children: A transmission chain study
Observational learning plays a key role in cultural transmission. Previous transmission chain experiments have shown that children are able to maintain information across multiple generations through observational learning. It still remains unclear how the transmission of functional vs. non-function...
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| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2023-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0274061&type=printable |
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| author | Anne Sibilsky Heidi Colleran Dominik Deffner Daniel B M Haun |
| author_facet | Anne Sibilsky Heidi Colleran Dominik Deffner Daniel B M Haun |
| author_sort | Anne Sibilsky |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Observational learning plays a key role in cultural transmission. Previous transmission chain experiments have shown that children are able to maintain information across multiple generations through observational learning. It still remains unclear how the transmission of functional vs. non-functional information and the effect of being observed unfold across age in different communities. Here, we examine children's copying fidelity in observational learning of 5- to 13-year-olds from five different communities in Vanuatu, both individually (n = 263, 144 boys) and throughout a transmission chain of five to six children (n = 324, 178 boys). We additionally varied the functionality of the feature being copied (shape vs. color) and the copying context (observed vs. unobserved). Further, we also study developmental and cultural variation in the interaction of features and conditions. We find that children transmit the functional feature shape more faithfully than the non-functional feature color, both in the dyadic transitions as well as the transmission chains with an increasing tendency to do so as they get older. The age patterns show greater variation between communities for color than for shape. Overall, we find that being observed shows no uniform effects but influences transmission differently across communities. Our study shows that children are prone to passing on a functional feature across multiple generations of peers. Children copy non-functional features as well, but with lower fidelity. In sum, our results show children's high propensity and developing abilities for observational learning, ultimately allowing for effective cultural transmission. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d849be062d974d5b843a08b14492bbcf |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj-art-d849be062d974d5b843a08b14492bbcf2025-02-05T05:32:44ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032023-01-01182e027406110.1371/journal.pone.0274061Copying fidelity of functional and non-functional features in ni-Vanuatu children: A transmission chain studyAnne SibilskyHeidi ColleranDominik DeffnerDaniel B M HaunObservational learning plays a key role in cultural transmission. Previous transmission chain experiments have shown that children are able to maintain information across multiple generations through observational learning. It still remains unclear how the transmission of functional vs. non-functional information and the effect of being observed unfold across age in different communities. Here, we examine children's copying fidelity in observational learning of 5- to 13-year-olds from five different communities in Vanuatu, both individually (n = 263, 144 boys) and throughout a transmission chain of five to six children (n = 324, 178 boys). We additionally varied the functionality of the feature being copied (shape vs. color) and the copying context (observed vs. unobserved). Further, we also study developmental and cultural variation in the interaction of features and conditions. We find that children transmit the functional feature shape more faithfully than the non-functional feature color, both in the dyadic transitions as well as the transmission chains with an increasing tendency to do so as they get older. The age patterns show greater variation between communities for color than for shape. Overall, we find that being observed shows no uniform effects but influences transmission differently across communities. Our study shows that children are prone to passing on a functional feature across multiple generations of peers. Children copy non-functional features as well, but with lower fidelity. In sum, our results show children's high propensity and developing abilities for observational learning, ultimately allowing for effective cultural transmission.https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0274061&type=printable |
| spellingShingle | Anne Sibilsky Heidi Colleran Dominik Deffner Daniel B M Haun Copying fidelity of functional and non-functional features in ni-Vanuatu children: A transmission chain study PLoS ONE |
| title | Copying fidelity of functional and non-functional features in ni-Vanuatu children: A transmission chain study |
| title_full | Copying fidelity of functional and non-functional features in ni-Vanuatu children: A transmission chain study |
| title_fullStr | Copying fidelity of functional and non-functional features in ni-Vanuatu children: A transmission chain study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Copying fidelity of functional and non-functional features in ni-Vanuatu children: A transmission chain study |
| title_short | Copying fidelity of functional and non-functional features in ni-Vanuatu children: A transmission chain study |
| title_sort | copying fidelity of functional and non functional features in ni vanuatu children a transmission chain study |
| url | https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0274061&type=printable |
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