Skip to main content

Research Repository

Advanced Search

A Diverse and Flexible Teaching Toolkit Facilitates the Human Capacity for Cumulative Culture

Burdett, Emily R. R.; Dean, Lewis G.; Ronfard, Samuel

A Diverse and Flexible Teaching Toolkit Facilitates the Human Capacity for Cumulative Culture Thumbnail


Authors

Lewis G. Dean

Samuel Ronfard



Contributors

Abstract

© 2017, The Author(s). Human culture is uniquely complex compared to other species. This complexity stems from the accumulation of culture over time through high- and low-fidelity transmission and innovation. One possible reason for why humans retain and create culture, is our ability to modulate teaching strategies in order to foster learning and innovation. We argue that teaching is more diverse, flexible, and complex in humans than in other species. This particular characteristic of human teaching rather than teaching itself is one of the reasons for human’s incredible capacity for cumulative culture. That is, humans unlike other species can signal to learners whether the information they are teaching can or cannot be modified. As a result teaching in humans can be used to support high or low fidelity transmission, innovation, and ultimately, cumulative culture.

Citation

Burdett, E. R. R., Dean, L. G., & Ronfard, S. (2018). A Diverse and Flexible Teaching Toolkit Facilitates the Human Capacity for Cumulative Culture. Review of Philosophy and Psychology, 9(4), 807-818. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13164-017-0345-4

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date May 29, 2017
Online Publication Date Jun 1, 2017
Publication Date Dec 1, 2018
Deposit Date Nov 28, 2019
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal Review of Philosophy and Psychology
Print ISSN 1878-5158
Electronic ISSN 1878-5166
Publisher Springer Verlag
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 9
Issue 4
Pages 807-818
DOI https://doi.org/10.1007/s13164-017-0345-4
Keywords Philosophy; Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
Public URL https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/2839459
Publisher URL https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs13164-017-0345-4

Files




You might also like



Downloadable Citations