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Subsistence styles shape human social learning strategies.

ABSTRACT: Social learning is a fundamental element of human cognition. Learning from others facilitates the transmission of information that helps individuals and groups rapidly adjust to new environments and underlies adaptive cultural evolution1-6. While basic human propensities for social learning are traditionally assumed to be species-universal1,7, recent empirical studies show that they vary between individuals and populations8-13. Yet the causes of this variation remain poorly understood9. Here we show that interdependence in everyday social and economic activities can strongly amplify social learning. With an experimental decision-making task we examine individual versus social learning in three recently diverged populations of a single-ethnic group, whose subsistence styles require varying degrees of interdependence. Interdependent pastoralists and urban dwellers have markedly higher propensities for social learning than independent horticulturalists, who predominantly rely on individual payoff information. These results indicate that everyday social and economic practices can mould human social learning strategies and they highlight the flexibility of human cognition to change with local ecology. Our study further suggests that shifts in subsistence styles - which can occur when humans inhabit new habitats or cultural niches2 - can alter reliance on social learning and may therefore impact the ability of human societies to adapt to novel circumstances.

SUBMITTER: Glowacki L

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5444520 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Subsistence styles shape human social learning strategies.

Glowacki Luke L Molleman Lucas L

Nature human behaviour 20170401

Social learning is a fundamental element of human cognition. Learning from others facilitates the transmission of information that helps individuals and groups rapidly adjust to new environments and underlies adaptive cultural evolution1-6. While basic human propensities for social learning are traditionally assumed to be species-universal1,7, recent empirical studies show that they vary between individuals and populations8-13. Yet the causes of this variation remain poorly understood9. Here we ...[more]

PMID: 28553662

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Project description:Investigating learner behavior is an increasingly important research topic in online learning. Learning styles and cognitive traits have been the subjects of research in this area. Although learning institutions use Learning Management Systems such as Moodle, Claroline, and Blackboard to facilitate teaching, the platforms do not have features for analyzing data and identifying behavior such as learning styles and cognitive traits. Instead, they only produce certain statistical reports from the daily access records. Even though complex models have been proposed in the literature, most studies are based on a single behavior such as learning styles or cognitive traits but not both. Only a few have investigated a combination of cognition-based theories such as working memory capacity and psychology-based ones such as learning styles. Thus, this study sought to answer the research question of whether it was possible to establish a methodology for the estimation of learning styles and cognitive traits from a learning management system. The study combined the Felder-Silverman Learning Style Model and Cognitive Trait Model as theoretical frameworks to identify behavior in a Learning Management System. This study designed a model for extracting records from Learning Management Systems access records to estimate learning style and cognitive traits. From this, a prototype was developed to estimate the learning style and cognitive traits for each student. The model was evaluated by administering manual tools to students in a classroom environment then comparing the results gathered against those estimated by the model. The results analyzed using Kappa statistics demonstrated the interrater reliability results were moderately in agreement. Taken together, these results suggest that it is possible to estimate the learning styles and cognitive traits of a learner in a Learning Management System. The information generated by the model can be used by tutors to provide a conducive online learning environment where learners with similar behavior ask each other for help. This can reduce the teaching load for online tutors because learners themselves act as a teaching resource. Information on learning styles and cognitive styles can also facilitate online group formation by isolating the individual factors that contribute to team success.

Project description:BackgroundUnderstanding students' learning styles, and modifying teaching styles and material accordingly, is an essential to delivering quality education. Knowing more about the learning styles of physiotherapy learners will assist educators' planning and delivering of learning activities. The purpose of this scoping review was to explore what is published about physiotherapy learning styles.MethodsAn adapted Arksey and O'Malley framework was applied to undertake this systematic scoping review. Nine electronic databases (CINAHL, BIOMED CENTRAL, Cochrane, Web of Science, PROQUEST, PubMed, OTseeker, Scopus, ERIC) were searched using the keywords: 'learning styles' and 'physiotherapy'. English-language, primary research articles that investigated physiotherapy learners' learning styles were sought.ResultsOf 396 potentially-relevant articles, 15 were included in this review. The studies mostly reflected undergraduate students (910 undergraduates, 361 postgraduates, 23 professionals), in developed countries. Nine articles used the Kolb's experiential learning theory (ELT); one study applied Honey and Mumford's approach; two studies used the Gregorc model of cognition and three studies did not specify an underlying theory. Outcome measures included different versions of Kolb's Learning Style Inventory, the visual-aural-read/write-kinesthetic questionnaire, Gregorc style delineator, Felder Silverman's Index of Learning Survey, and Honey and Mumford's Learning Style Questionnaire. The preferred physiotherapy learning styles, according to the ELT, seem to be Converger (learns "hands-on" and applying previously attained knowledge) and Assimilator (gathers and organises information to make the most sense).ConclusionsBoth physiotherapy learners and physiotherapists have specific learning styles of active participation, underpinned with practical examples of theoretical concepts. More research is needed in developing countries, and on postgraduate and professional physiotherapy learners' learning styles. Also, further research should focus on defining and describing physiotherapy learning styles in a way to be used as an industry standard; and developing valid and reliable learning style outcome measures applicable across physiotherapy learners and settings.

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Subsistence styles shape human social learning strategies.

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Subsistence styles shape human social learning strategies.

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