Human vs.

Animal Culture

Culture in Animals

There is considerable evidence that animal behavior is passed on from

one generation to the next. For example, elephants that have a history
of being poached tend to be particularly aggressive toward people.
Other evidence suggests that animals can maintain distinct dialects. 2
But these examples are not great examples of culture. Certainly, they

Cultural Learning in Animals

Tool use in
primates
Twig-fishers vs.
bark-fishers
https://www.youtu
be.com/watch?
v=oyt0CIIL_Mg
Evidence of more advanced culture can only
be
found in primates. Tool use is one example of
culture that is passed on from generation to
generation. For example, some groups of
chimpanzees fish for termites using twigs a
method they learned from watching their
ancestors. Other groups using a bark-fishing
method. Each new generation looks to their

Chimpanzees in
particular seem to
develop more
complex cultures.
There are a few
different species of
chimpanzee and one,
the bonobo, stands
out. Chimpanzees are
most often very
violent animals.
Bonobos, in contrast,
tend to very peaceful.
Are these differences
just a fluke of
biology? Or are they
due to culture?

Complex Chimp Culture

The bonobo is uniquely situated

compared to other chimpanzees it
does not have any natural
predators or rivals such as humans
or gorillas. They are isolated from
other large apes by the Zaire river.

Over time, chimpanzee culture rewarded

aggression while bonobo culture
rewarded peace. Chimps who were too
passive were beaten or killed while
bonobos who were too aggressive were
excluded from their orgies. Each species
has clearly defined social systems that

Human vs. animal

Without
argument
Human cultures
are MUCH more
complex
Human cultures
are MUCH more
symbolic
Humans are
MUCH better
learners
Humans are
MUCH better
teachers

Language

At best, a
few hundred
words.
7

Language
About
10,000
words

About
20,000
words

Human language also has complex grammar

8
and syntax

Roth, G. ch 2 in Brne, M., Ribbert, H., & Schiefenhvel, W. (2003).

9
The social brain: Evolution and Pathology. Chichester: Wiley.

Increases in brain size

during evolution

ardipithecus

Australopithecus

homo
habilis

homo
erectus

Neandertal

modern
human

brain size:
300 ccs

brain size:
310-530 ccs

brain
size: 580752 ccs

brain
size:
775-1225
ccs

brain size:
1200-1450
ccs

brain
size:
1350
ccs10

Social Brain Hypothesis

Complex social worlds led to a need
for successful navigation of complex
relationships.
More socially adept primates
attracted more mates, accrued more
resources, and protected offspring
better.

11

Humans Are Especially

Social
Humans vs other primates:
largest groups
more interested in each others activities
more cultural learning

Human brains may thus have

developed greater social learning and
communication abilities than other ape
species
12

Magic Number 150

Based on human neocortex ratio
Human ancestral population were ~150.
Humans can keep track of
approximately 150 relations.

Most clans and small communities

have average size of 150

13

Universalism

14

Universal or Variable?
Does a behavior occur across cultures
(universal) or not (variable)?
Depends on the definition you use!
Abstract definitions support universality
E.g. marriage = people partnering to form a
family unit

Concrete definitions support variability

E.g. marriage = man and woman falling in love
and agreeing to spend their lives with each
other in a sexually exclusive romantic union
15

Some Things Are Universal

Parent/child incest is taboo
Black is a color
Crimes against the ingroup are
punished
People are divided into age
categories

16

Some Things Are Not

Universal
Reasoning styles, motivation, color
recognition, number recognition,
emotions (experience and expression),
perception of time and space, relational
styles, sexual experience and behavior,
gender awareness, moral judgments,
success models, religiosity, concept of
self, concepts of health and the body,
concept of the life-span and development,
socialization, language concepts
17

Degrees of Universality

Start
here!

18

Ethnocentrism
Believing that ones own culture is
universal or normal and that
deviations are abnormal or immoral.

19

Psychology Is WEIRD
Most research can make sense of,
and originate from, WEIRD societies:
Western
E ducated
I ndustrialized
R ich
D emocratic

and
heterosexual,
able-bodied,
White, liberal

20

General Psychology

This metaphor itself is a WEIRD bias!

21

Psychology Is WEIRD
68% of psychology participants are
Americans

32%
68%

American
NonAmerican

22

Psychology Is WEIRD
96% of psychology participants are
from Western, industrialized
countries.
4%
WEIRD
Rest of world
96%

23

Psychology Is WEIRD
But WEIRD countries only make up
approximately 16% of worlds
population
16

WEIRD
84

24

Psychology Is WEIRD
Even more problematic: 70% of
participants are psychology
undergraduates
30%

Undergraduates
Other people
70%

25

Example of WEIRD Finding

Mueller-Lyer illusion demo

26

Example of WEIRD Finding

How does the US self-esteem stack up aga

other cultures?

27