Primate Cognition and the Origins of Human Culture

Dein Simon

doi:10.36959/763/500

Abstract

The concept of culture is central to cross cultural psychology. This paper examines the evolutionary roots of human culture through examining the similarities and differences between human and non-human primates. After discussion of the meaning of the term culture, I present evidence that it is to be found in non-human primates with a focus upon chimpanzees. I then discuss how human culture differs from that of its non -human cousins. I consider several factors which might account for the relative sophistication of human culture: Learning, the ratchet effect, conformity, collaboration, meta-representation, and imagination.

Highlights

As Chasiotis [1] has argued, cross-cultural psychology aims to look for and account for similarities and differences in the behaviour of individuals in diverse cultural groups
Poortinga [3] notes that research in cross-cultural psychology focuses upon differences rather than similarities in psychological functioning
Evolutionary aspects are rarely mentioned in the cross-cultural literature despite the fact that they have direct relevance for cultural psychology

Summary

Introduction

As Chasiotis [1] has argued, cross-cultural psychology aims to look for and account for similarities and differences in the behaviour of individuals in diverse cultural groups. While much progress has been made in defining uniquely human cognitive aspects, much less understanding exists of the evolutionary processes involved in generating these differences [5]. Our closest living relatives, can inform us about cognition in the common primate ancestor and determine which human cognitive aspects are shared with other non-human primates and which may have evolved more recently. Evidence exists for both commonalities and major differences here and indicate a more gradual and incremental process of human evolution than previously assumed

Do Primates Have Culture?

Food Processing and Tool Use

Conclusion