Children switched to the efficient method more often than chimpanzees on the same puzzlebox task¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · causal r2 · q2
Currency · newest study 2022 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? 56% of children switched to the efficient method before the token was in the dent versus 18% of chimpanzees in prior work. → Davis 2022

Evidence¶

Davis 2022¶

Davis, S., Rawlings, B., Clegg, J. M., Ikejimba, D., Watson-Jones, R. E., Whiten, A. & Legare, C. H. (2022). Cognitive flexibility supports the development of cumulative cultural learning in children. Scientific Reports. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-18231-7

q2 · i? · causal · r2

Cross-species comparison with the same Serialbox used by Davis et al. with chimpanzees: "just 18% of chimpanzees, compared to 56% of children here, switched to the efficient method prior to the token being put into the dent". After the token was in the dent, 45% of chimpanzees versus 62% of children switched.

"just 18% of chimpanzees, compared to 56% of children here, switched to the efficient method prior to the token being put into the dent (phase 3 in this study)."

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Executive Function — predictor: learners who differ on it differ in outcomes

Related Claims¶

• Most 3–5-year-old children who first learned an inefficient puzzlebox method switched to a witnessed, more efficient alternative — related
• Children who switched to the efficient method largely reverted to the inefficient method over subsequent trials — related
• Children who first learned the efficient method switched to the observed inefficient method — related
• Children who observed the efficient method first switched earlier than children observing the inefficient method first — related