Folktale transmission in the arctic provides evidence for high bandwidth social learning among hunter–gatherer groups

Ross, Robert M.; Atkinson, Quentin D.

Folktale transmission in the arctic provides evidence for high bandwidth social learning among hunter–gatherer groups

Evolution and Human Behavior • Vol/Iss. 37(1) • Elsevier • • Published In 2016 • Pages: 47-53 •

By Ross, Robert M., Atkinson, Quentin D.

Abstract

The myths, legends, and folktales of nearby groups tend to more alike than those of more distant groups. Three competing models attempt to explain this distribution of cultural traits: (1) vertical transmission, (2) horizontal transmission, and (3) independent innovation. The authors examine 18 Arctic hunter-gatherer groups to quantify the extent to which geographic distance, cultural ancestry, and effective population size predict overlap in folktale inventories.

Samples
Sample Used	Coded Data	Comment
Other (Sheppard, 1998)	Mixed	Folktale data, geographic distances

Hypotheses (4)
Hypothesis	Supported
The folktale inventories of nearby groups will be more similar than those of distant groups (49).	Supported
The folktale inventories of groups that diverged more recently will exhibit greater similarity than those of groups that diverged less recently (49).	Supported
There will be an independent effect of vertical transmission down language lineages after controlling for horizontal transmission between groups (49).	Supported
The pattern of folktale variation between populations will be tree-like in structure (50).	Mixed

Documents and Hypotheses Filed By: erik.ringen

Folktale transmission in the arctic provides evidence for high bandwidth social learning among hunter–gatherer groups

Evolution and Human Behavior • Vol/Iss. 37(1) • Elsevier • • Published In 2016 • Pages: 47-53 • Cite

By Ross, Robert M., Atkinson, Quentin D.

Abstract

Samples

Hypotheses (4)

Evolution and Human Behavior • Vol/Iss. 37(1) • Elsevier • • Published In 2016 • Pages: 47-53 •