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The fourth dimension of tool use: temporally enduring artefacts aid primates learning to use tools

Fragaszy, D.M., Biro, Dora, Eshchar, Y., Humle, Tatyana, Izar, P., Resende, B., Visalberghi, E. (2013) The fourth dimension of tool use: temporally enduring artefacts aid primates learning to use tools. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 368 (1630). ISSN 0962-8436. E-ISSN 1471-2970. (doi:10.1098/rstb.2012.0410) (Access to this publication is currently restricted. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:38019)

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http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2012.0410

Abstract

All investigated cases of habitual tool use in wild chimpanzees and capuchin monkeys include youngsters encountering durable artefacts, most often in a supportive social context. We propose that enduring artefacts associated with tool use, such as previously used tools, partly processed food items and residual material from previous activity, aid non-human primates to learn to use tools, and to develop expertise in their use, thus contributing to traditional technologies in non-humans. Therefore, social contributions to tool use can be considered as situated in the three dimensions of Euclidean space, and in the fourth dimension of time. This notion expands the contribution of social context to learning a skill beyond the immediate presence of a model nearby. We provide examples supporting this hypothesis from wild bearded capuchin monkeys and chimpanzees, and suggest avenues for future research.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1098/rstb.2012.0410
Uncontrolled keywords: Artefact, Expertise, Niche construction, Pan troglodytes, Sapajus libidinosus, Tools, learning, primate, social behavior, temporal variation, tool use, wild population
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GN Anthropology
Q Science > QL Zoology
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Anthropology and Conservation
Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Anthropology and Conservation > DICE (Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology)
Depositing User: Tatyana Humle
Date Deposited: 04 Apr 2014 14:34 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Nov 2021 10:14 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/38019 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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