Research in nonindustrial small-scale societies challenges the common perception that human childhood is universally characterized by a long period of intensive adult investment and dedicated instruction. Using return rate and time allocation data for the Savanna Pumé, a group of South American hunter-gatherers, age patterns in how children learn to become productive foragers and from whom they learn are observed across the transition from childhood to adolescence. Results show that Savanna Pumé children care for their siblings, are important economic contributors, learn by doing rather than by instruction, and spend their time principally in the company of other children. This developmental experience contrasts with that of children in postindustrial societies, who are dependent on adults, often well past maturity; learn in formal settings; and spend much of their time in the company of adults. These differences raise questions about whether normative behaviors observed in postindustrial societies are representative of human children. This comparison also identifies the potential mismatch between hunter-gatherer and postindustrial societies in the extent to which children may be well adapted to learn from and teach each other. In particular, spending time in autonomous work and play groups develops the cooperation and coordination skills that are foundational to human subsistence and growing up to be socially and productively adept adults and parents.

非工业小规模社会的研究挑战了普遍的看法，即人类童年的普遍特征是长期的成人密集投资和专门的教育。使用 Savanna Pumé（一群南美狩猎采集者）的返回率和时间分配数据，观察儿童在从童年到青春期的过渡期间如何学习成为高效的觅食者以及他们向谁学习的年龄模式。结果表明，Savanna Pumé 儿童照顾他们的兄弟姐妹，是重要的经济贡献者，通过实践而不是通过指导学习，并且主要与其他儿童一起度过他们的时间。这种发展经历与后工业社会中的儿童形成鲜明对比，后者依赖成年人，通常已经过了成熟期。在正式环境中学习；并且大部分时间都在成年人的陪伴下度过。这些差异引发了后工业社会中观察到的规范行为是否代表人类儿童的问题。这种比较还确定了狩猎采集社会和后工业社会之间在儿童可能很好地适应相互学习和教导方面的潜在不匹配。特别是，花时间在自主工作和游戏小组中培养合作和协调技能，这是人类生存和成长为具有社交能力和生产能力的成年人和父母的基础。这种比较还确定了狩猎采集社会和后工业社会之间在儿童可能很好地适应相互学习和教导方面的潜在不匹配。特别是，花时间在自主工作和游戏小组中培养合作和协调技能，这是人类生存和成长为具有社交能力和生产能力的成年人和父母的基础。这种比较还确定了狩猎采集社会和后工业社会之间在儿童可能很好地适应相互学习和教导方面的潜在不匹配。特别是，花时间在自主工作和游戏小组中培养合作和协调技能，这是人类生存和成长为具有社交能力和生产能力的成年人和父母的基础。