Abstract In the current literature, there are few experimental tests of capacities for cumulative cultural evolution in nonhuman species. There are even fewer examples of such tests in young children. This limited evidence is noteworthy given widespread interest in the apparent distinctiveness of human cumulative culture, and the potentially significant theoretical implications of identifying related capacities in nonhumans or very young children. We evaluate experimental methods upon which claims of capacities for cumulative culture, or lack thereof, have been based. Although some of the established methods (those simulating generational succession) have the potential to identify positive evidence that fulfills widely accepted definitions of cumulative culture, the implementation of these methods entails significant logistical challenges. This is particularly true for testing populations that are difficult to access in large numbers, or those not amenable to experimental control. This presents problems for generating evidence that would be sufficient to support claims of capacities for cumulative culture, and these problems are magnified for establishing convincing negative evidence. We discuss alternative approaches to assessing capacities for cumulative culture, which circumvent logistical problems associated with experimental designs involving chains of learners. By inferring the outcome of repeated transmission from the input–output response patterns of individual subjects, sample size requirements can be massively reduced. Such methods could facilitate comparisons between populations, for example, different species, or children of a range of ages. We also detail limitations and challenges of this alternative approach, and discuss potential avenues for future research. This article is categorized under: Cognitive Biology > Evolutionary Roots of Cognition Cognitive Biology > Cognitive Development Psychology > Comparative Psychology

中文翻译：

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累积培养能力的实验评估：方法的审查和评估。

摘要在目前的文献中，很少有关于非人类物种累积文化进化能力的实验测试。在幼儿中进行此类测试的例子甚至更少。鉴于人们对人类累积文化的明显独特性以及对确定非人类或非常小的儿童的相关能力的潜在重大理论意义的广泛关注，这一有限的证据值得关注。我们评估实验方法，这些方法是对累积培养能力的要求或缺乏这种能力的依据。尽管某些已建立的方法（模拟世代相传的方法）有潜力识别符合广泛认可的累积文化定义的积极证据，但是这些方法的实施带来了巨大的后勤挑战。对于测试难以大量访问的人群或不适合进行实验控制的人群，尤其如此。这就提出了产生足以支持累积文化能力主张的证据的问题，而这些问题由于建立令人信服的负面证据而被放大。我们讨论了评估累积文化能力的其他方法，这些方法可以避免与涉及学习者链的实验设计相关的后勤问题。通过从各个受试者的输入-输出反应模式推断出重复传播的结果，可以大大减少样本量要求。这样的方法可以促进不同种群之间的比较，例如，不同物种或年龄范围内的儿童。我们还将详细介绍这种替代方法的局限性和挑战，并讨论未来研究的潜在途径。本文归类为：认知生物学>认知的进化根认知生物学>认知发展心理学>比较心理学