Understanding Behavioral Traditions in Primates: Are Current Experimental Approaches Too Focused on Food? |
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Authors: | Claire F I Watson Christine A Caldwell |
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Institution: | (1) Scottish Primate Research Group, Behaviour and Evolution Research Group, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, U.K. |
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Abstract: | Recently, several researchers have highlighted the neglect of social behaviors relative to food-related behaviors in experimental
research on social learning in primates, despite the significant number of apparent social traditions reported in the field.
Here we aim to highlight the discrepancy between the relative number of nonfood-related behavioral traditions reported in
the wild and food-related ones, and the almost exclusive investigation of food-related behaviors in an experimental context.
First we discuss aspects of social and communicative customs that make them especially interesting. Then we consider reasons
why experimental approaches are crucial to developing a full understanding of behavioral traditions observed in the wild.
We report the results of a systematic literature survey in which we assessed the perceived discrepancy quantitatively. We
also argue that the existing experimental literature, with its typical reliance on food as a motivator, may not be sufficient
to elucidate the mechanisms underlying nonfood traditions, such as social conventions. Finally, we suggest new directions
for the experimental investigation of social learning in primates, hoping to stimulate experimental research investigating
social and communicative behavioral traditions. |
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Keywords: | culture primate social conventions social learning tradition |
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