Understanding Cultural Transmission in Anthropology A Critical Synthesis [Hardcover]

The concept of cultural transmission is central to much contemporary anthropological theory, since successful human reproduction through social systems is essential for effective survival and for enhancing the adaptiveness of individual humans and local populations. Yet, what is understood by the phrase and how it might best be studied is highly contested. This book brings together contributions that reflect the current diversity of approaches - from the fields of biology, primatology, palaeoanthropology, psychology, social anthropology, ethnobiology, and archaeology - to examine social and cultural transmission from a range of perspectives and at different scales of generalization. The comprehensive introduction explores some of the problems and connections. Overall, the book provides a timely synthesis of current accounts of cultural transmission in relation to cognitive process, practical action, and local socio-ecological context, while linking these with explanations of longer-term evolutionary trajectories.

List of Figures
List of Tables
Preface
List of Contributors

Introduction
Roy Ellen and Michael Fischer

Chapter 1.What Animals Other Than Primates can tell us about Cultural Transmission
Kevin Laland, Alice Cowie and Tom Morgan

Chapter 2.Cultural Transmission in Non-human Primates: Definitions and Evidence
Tatyana Humle and Nicholas Newton-Fisher

Chapter 3.Cultural Transmission Theory and fossil Hominin Behaviour: A Discussion of Epistemological and Methodological Strengths
Stephen Lycett

Chapter 4.Studying Cultural Transmission Within an Interdisciplinary Cultural Evolutionary Framework
Alex Mesoudi

Chapter 5.Do Transmission Isolation Mechanisms (TRIMS) Influence Cultural Evolution? Evidence from Patterns of Textile Diversity Wl!