教甄◆英文科題庫下載題庫

 A. The phenomenon of cultural transmission can be observed in not only human beings but also animals. The executive chef shows his/her apprentice how to make a tender chicken dish. Likely, in the world of animals, sparrows learn how to do vocal dialects from older sparrows. Through the process of socialization, young or more incapable members of the group gradually pick up the common knowledge, skills, and information. However, the process of cultural transmission can be largely affected by external factors, such as the physical environment, that may lead an individual to interpret a traditional concept in a novel way. The environmental stimuli that contribute to this variance can include climate, migration patterns, conflict, suitability for survival, and endemic pathogens. Although differences exist, cultural transmission is an important way for “a new comer” to gain the membership into a social group. 

A recent study published in the journal Science finds that cultural transmission is behind the spread of a hunting technique among humpback whales off New England. Lobtail feeding is the focus of the study. The researchers first saw lobtail feeding in 1980. Within 30 years, 37 percent of the observed humpbacks had learned to hunt fish by slapping the surface of the water with its tail. The whales will gobble up the fish that the resulting bubbles pen in. With 27 years of data from whale-watching boats in the Guld of Maine, the researchers have created mathematical models to examine the spread of lobtail feeding. The results show that humpback whales that spend more time with lobtail feeders were more likely to pick up the method themselves. Clearly, whales are capable of sophisticated social interactions—and we've only seen the tip of the tail.