Taking sociality seriously: the structure of multi-dimensional social networks as a source of information for individuals
Open accessAbstract
Understanding human cognitive evolution, and that of the other primates, means taking sociality very seriously. For humans, this requires the recognition of the sociocultural and historical means by which human minds and selves are constructed, and how this gives rise to the reflexivity and ability to respond to novelty that characterize our species. For other, non-linguistic, primates we can answer some interesting questions by viewing social life as a feedback process, drawing on cybernetics and systems approaches and using social network neo-theory to test these ideas. Specifically, we show how social networks can be formalized as multi-dimensional objects, and use entropy measures to assess how networks respond to perturbation. We use simulations and natural ‘knock-outs’ in a free-ranging baboon troop to demonstrate that changes in interactions after social perturbations lead to a more certain social network, in which the outcomes of interactions are easier for members to predict. This new formalization of social networks provides a framework within which to predict network dynamics and evolution, helps us highlight how human and non-human social networks differ and has implications for theories of cognitive evolution.
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There is no need to postulate a distinct set of 'cognitive' processes to fill the supposed gap between sensory reception and motor output.
“In common with Barrett [33], I argue that there is no need to postulate a distinct set of ‘cognitive’ processes to fill the supposed gap between sensory reception and motor output.”
From Embodied cognitive evolution and the cerebellum (2012) · cites this paper as [33]
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- Authors
- Barrett, L., Henzi, S. P., & Lusseau, D.
- Affiliations
- University of Lethbridge (CA)
- University of Aberdeen (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Barrett, Louise
- Venue
- Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
- Publisher
- The Royal Society
- Published
- 2012-08-05
- Volume
- 367
- Issue
- 1599
- Pages
- 2108-2118
- ISSN
- 0962-8436 (ISSN-L)
- 1471-2970
- PMC
- PMC3385678
- OpenAlex
- W1667006712
- Cited by
- 183
- References
- 95
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 23 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 19 · 2017: 17 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 16 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 6
- FWCI
- 18.64
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- arXiv (Cornell University) (submittedVersion)
- Aberdeen University Research Archive (Aberdeen University) (submittedVersion)
- Unisa Institutional Repository (University of South Africa) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Northeastern States Research Cooperative
- Killam Trusts
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Social Sciences › Cultural Studies › Language and cultural evolution
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior
- Keywords
- social networks, primate sociality, baboons, social network structure, entropy measures, social network dynamics, cognitive evolution, reflexivity, novelty response, social feedback
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Cognition, Computer Simulation, Biological Evolution, Female, Grooming, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Male, Papio, Social Behavior, Spatial Behavior, Ecosystem, Feedback, Psychological, Theory of Mind, Social Networking
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