Mammalian Social Learning Comparative and Ecological Perspectives [Paperback]

A comparative study of social learning and its implications in a wide range of mammalian species.The behaviour of experienced individuals provides a natural source of information by which inexperienced individuals may learn about the opportunities and hazards of their environment. This process is known as social learning. A wide range of species are examined in this book, which serves to emphasise the scope of this phenomenon in mammals. It will appeal to all graduate students and researchers interested in socially-mediated learning and its relevance to the life strategies of different groups and their survival.The behaviour of experienced individuals provides a natural source of information by which inexperienced individuals may learn about the opportunities and hazards of their environment. This process is known as social learning. A wide range of species are examined in this book, which serves to emphasise the scope of this phenomenon in mammals. It will appeal to all graduate students and researchers interested in socially-mediated learning and its relevance to the life strategies of different groups and their survival.Social learning commonly refers to the social transfer of information and skill among individuals. It encompasses a wide range of behaviors that include where and how to obtain food, how to interact with members of one's own social group, and how to identify and respond appropriately to predators. Mammalian Social Learning discusses a wide diversity of species, some of which have never been discussed in this context before, with particular reference made to their natural life strategies. Expert chapters consider social learning in humans in comparison with other mammals, especially in their technological and craft traditions. Moreover, for the first time, attention is given to the social learning abilities of prehistoric hominids.List of contributors; Preface; Part I. New Perspectives in Studies of Social Learning: Editors' comments Hilary O. Boxlã¯