Department of Anthropology

Although some species transmit simple behaviors between group members, humans have a unique ability to transfer entire domains of cultural knowledge (e.g., fire-building, fishing, and theoretical physics) across individuals and generations. In this talk, I compare human learning to that of dogs to investigate which aspects of human learning support our uniquely complex culture. More broadly, I discuss why dogs are an ideal species for investigating unique aspects of human learning because they are one of few species that demonstrates human-like sensitivity to social cues, such as pointing and eye gaze.