| Humans have evolved an incredible ability to transmit complex information. Although some non-human species occasionally transmit specific behaviors and customs across individuals, humans have a unique ability to transmit entire domains of knowledge across many generations. In this dissertation, I seek to uncover the origins of this unique ability by pinpointing unique aspects of human learning that support our complex system of cultural transmission. To address this question, I take a comparative approach, comparing human learning to that of domesticated dogs (Canis familiaris)---a species that demonstrates many features of human-like social learning.;In this dissertation, I present three papers with dogs that reveal features of human cognition that have the potential to support our unique human culture. In Chapters 2 and 3, I demonstrate that humans have a unique tendency to privilege ostensive information over other evidence, specifically whether ostensive information is relevant (Chapter 2) and presented by a knowledgeable source (Chapter 3). In Chapter 4, I demonstrate that humans are unique in the extent to which we flexibly seek help depending on our likelihood of solving a problem independently. Although seemingly simple, these two aspects of human cognition have the potential to work in harmony to help sustain the "cultural ratchet effect" that uniquely characterizes human culture and sets us apart from the other great apes. |
