Specialization in the vicarious learning of novel arbitrary sequences in humans but not orangutans

Abstract

Sequence learning underlies many uniquely human behaviours, from complex tool use to language and ritual. To understand whether this fundamental cognitive feature is uniquely derived in humans requires a comparative approach. We propose that the vicarious (but not individual) learning of novel arbitrary sequences represents a human cognitive specialization. To test this hypothesis, we compared the abilities of human children aged 3–5 years and orangutans to learn different types of arbitrary sequences (item-based and spatial-based). Sequences could be learned individually (by trial and error) or vicariously from a human (social) demonstrator or a computer (ghost control). We found that both children and orangutans recalled both types of sequence following trial-and-error learning; older children also learned both types of sequence following social and ghost demonstrations. Orangutans' success individually learning arbitrary sequences shows that their failure to do so in some vicarious learning conditions is not owing to general representational problems. These results provide new insights into some of the most persistent discontinuities observed between humans and other great apes in terms of complex tool use, language and ritual, all of which involve the cultural learning of novel arbitrary sequences. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Ritual renaissance: new insights into the most human of behaviours’.

Taking account of others’ goals in social information use: Developmental changes in 3- to 7-year-old children

“…Therefore, in contrast to many previous studies (e.g., Evans et al, 2018 , Flynn and Whiten, 2013 , Haun et al, 2013 , McGuigan, 2013 , Renner et al, 2020 , van Leeuwen et al, 2018 , Want and Harris, 2001 , Wood et al, 2013a ), success in the current study was dependent on children’s appropriate use of two possible responses: copying and shifting. The appropriate response was dependent on the demonstrator’s goal and the outcome of the demonstration.…”

The use of individual, social, and animated cue information by capuchin monkeys and children in a touchscreen task

“…Had we found differences between the individual and social conditions, the animated cue condition would have assisted in examining the possible underlying mechanisms. The finding of non-differentially effective information use from an animated cue condition and a social condition by task-proficient monkeys and children is unusual, given that a number of previous studies have shown impoverished learning from ghost conditions 8 – 13 , 41 – 43 , but see 14 . It is possible that the difference between this study and the others is due to participants engaging in multiple trials, with corresponding opportunities to learn the game’s strategy.…”

Ritual explained: interdisciplinary answers to Tinbergen's four questions

“…While it is important not to overattribute human thinking and behaviour to other animals, the evolutionary roots of ritual probably run deep and are shared in part with other animals. Highlighting the challenges of deciphering the evolutionary origins of ritual behaviour we present two puzzlingly contrasting views: one sees traces of ritual behaviour in wild Guinea baboons [20] and white-faced capuchin monkeys [21]; whereas the other proposes an absence of evidence for any such traces in even our closest evolutionary cousins, the great apes [22,23]. These perspectives are complemented by a review of evidence from the archaeological record of ritual in archaic human history [24].…”