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Characterization of hunter-gatherer networks and implications for cumulative culture

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Migliano, AB 
Page, AE 
Gómez-Gardeñes, J 
Salali, GD 
Viguier, S 

Abstract

© 2017 Macmillan Publishers Limited, part of Spr nger Nature. Social networks in modern societies are highly structured, usually involving frequent contact with a small number of unrelated friends' 1. However, contact network structures in traditional small-scale societies, especially hunter-gatherers, are poorly characterized. We developed a portable wireless sensing technology (motes) to study within-camp proximity networks among Agta and BaYaka hunter-gatherers in fine detail. We show that hunter-gatherer social networks exhibit signs of increased efficiency 2 for potential information exchange. Increased network efficiency is achieved through investment in a few strong links among non-kin friends' connecting unrelated families. We show that interactions with non-kin appear in childhood, creating opportunities for collaboration and cultural exchange beyond family at early ages. We also show that strong friendships are more important than family ties in predicting levels of shared knowledge among individuals. We hypothesize that efficient transmission of cumulative culture 3-6 may have shaped human social networks and contributed to our tendency to extend networks beyond kin and form strong non-kin ties.

Description

Keywords

32 Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, 42 Health Sciences, 52 Psychology, Clinical Research

Journal Title

Nature Human Behaviour

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

2397-3374
2397-3374

Volume Title

1

Publisher

Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Rights

All rights reserved