Socially guided individual learning mitigates the double-edged sword of pedagogy

Abstract

Social learning and innovation are fundamental processes in cultural evolution, yet their interaction remains poorly understood. Prior research suggests that inheriting social information reduces exploration. However, most studies have focused on the transmission of fully fledged solutions. Here, we investigate whether alternative types of information can facilitate cumulative cultural evolution without reducing exploration. Specifically, we conducted a pre-registered experiment with 400 adult participants comparing the inheritance of solutions with that of heuristics-simple rules that guide problem solving. We found that social learners who inherited a heuristic explored more frequently and broadly than those who received a solution. Their productions were also less similar to those of their demonstrators, suggesting that heuristics foster more independent exploration. Despite these differences, both heuristics and solutions enabled learners to surpass their demonstrator's performance. These findings highlight that the type of social information transmitted plays a crucial role in the evolvability of culture.