Social Learning →
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Conspecifics exert strong influences on behavior and cognition. Much of my research addresses how the presence of a conspecific influences behavior and cognition, but I also have a longstanding interest in the degree to which subjects can learn from watching others, and the limits of this behavior. While social learning can provide a relatively cost-free way to acquire information, certain biases, such as conformity, easily lead to maladaptive outcomes and reduce innovation. Understanding the evolutionary history of these social transmission biases helps us to ameliorate them and improve human decision-making.
