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theadvancedapes  ·  4286 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Are Chimpanzees Cultural?

Well there have been cultural diffusion studies. In 2005 Andrew Whiten conducted a well-known experiment where two alpha individuals were taught two different tool techniques for opening a box containing food. When they were placed back in their separate groups everyone learned that specific tool technique. It is an example of how diffusion could work in the wild. But we have no data chronicling the diffusion of a major cultural behaviour between field sites. This could be because they are so isolated from each other. If that's the case then it would be like expecting humans in the 1300s to be diffusing cultural practices between Eurasia and the Americas.