Characterization of hunter-gatherer networks and implications for cumulative culture

A. B. Migliano (), A. E. Page, J. Gómez-Gardeñes, G. D. Salali, S. Viguier, M. Dyble, J. Thompson, Nikhill Chaudhary, D. Smith, J. Strods, R. Mace, M. G. Thomas, V. Latora and L. Vinicius
Additional contact information
A. B. Migliano: University College London
A. E. Page: University College London
J. Gómez-Gardeñes: University of Zaragoza
G. D. Salali: University College London
S. Viguier: University College London
M. Dyble: University College London
J. Thompson: University College London
Nikhill Chaudhary: University College London
D. Smith: University College London
J. Strods: University College London
R. Mace: University College London
M. G. Thomas: Evolution and Environment, University College London
V. Latora: School of Mathematical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London
L. Vinicius: University College London

Nature Human Behaviour, 2017, vol. 1, issue 2, 1-6

Abstract: Abstract 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 efficiency2 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 culture3–6 may have shaped human social networks and contributed to our tendency to extend networks beyond kin and form strong non-kin ties.

Date: 2017
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-016-0043 Abstract (text/html)
Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:nathum:v:1:y:2017:i:2:d:10.1038_s41562-016-0043

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/nathumbehav/

DOI: 10.1038/s41562-016-0043

Access Statistics for this article

Nature Human Behaviour is currently edited by Stavroula Kousta

More articles in Nature Human Behaviour from Nature
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().