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Cited by 349Language and cultural evolutionChild and Animal Learning DevelopmentEvolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 56 of the 58 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

A bias for social information in human cultural transmission

Mesoudi, Alex, Whiten, Andrew, Dunbar, Robin·2006·British Journal of Psychology
DOI 10.1348/000712605x85871
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Abstract

Evolutionary theories concerning the origins of human intelligence suggest that cultural transmission might be biased toward social over non-social information. This was tested by passing social and non-social information along multiple chains of participants. Experiment 1 found that gossip, defined as information about intense third-party social relationships, was transmitted with significantly greater accuracy and in significantly greater quantity than equivalent non-social information concerning individual behaviour or the physical environment. Experiment 2 replicated this finding controlling for narrative coherence, and additionally found that information concerning everyday non-gossip social interactions was transmitted just as well as the intense gossip interactions. It was therefore concluded that human cultural transmission is biased toward information concerning social interactions over equivalent non-social information.

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Research works printed but not linked: 3

  1. Bartlett F. C., 1932, Remembering
  2. Wilson D. S., 2000, The evolution of cognition. Vienna series in theoretical biology, 347
  3. 10.1037/0022-3514.66.2.254 · DOI

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Metadata

Authors
Mesoudi, A., Whiten, A., & Dunbar, R.
Affiliations
  • University of St Andrews (GB)
  • University of Liverpool (GB)
Corresponding author
Mesoudi, Alex
ORCID
Venue
British Journal of Psychology
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2006-08
Volume
97
Issue
3
Pages
405-423
ISSN
  • 0007-1269 (ISSN-L)
  • 2044-8295
DOI
10.1348/000712605x85871
OpenAlex
W2047815179
Cited by
349
References
58
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 24 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 27 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 27 · 2019: 28 · 2018: 19 · 2017: 48 · 2016: 21 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 16 · 2012: 10
FWCI
254.67
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor, 1606 d)
Locations
  • British Journal of Psychology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • University of Denver
  • British Academy
  • British Psychological Society
  • University of St Andrews
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Cultural Studies › Language and cultural evolution
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Child and Animal Learning Development
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior
Keywords
cultural transmission, social information, gossip, social learning, narrative coherence, social interaction, evolutionary theory of cognition
MeSH terms
Adult, Communication, Cultural Characteristics, Cultural Evolution, Female, Humans, Intelligence, Interpersonal Relations, Machiavellianism, Male, Social Values, Socialization, Information Dissemination

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