Scientists from the University of Arizona have put forth a new explanation for the uniqueness of human culture, suggesting that its distinctiveness lies in “openness” – the ability to continuously combine and interpret new ideas and actions. Research published in Nature Human Behavior reveals that not only do humans have culture, but many species of animals also accumulate cultural knowledge, pass it on to their offspring, and even evolve in the process.
Previously, it was believed that human culture was unique because of the accumulation of knowledge and its development over time. However, studies now show that animals are also capable of developing and transmitting culture. For instance, female leafcutter ants pass on genetically modified fungus to future colonies, while humpback whales complicate their songs, which evolve and spread among groups. Even locusts adapt to environmental conditions by quickly changing their appearance and behavior due to epigenetic changes.
Despite the existence of cultural heritage in animals, they face limitations. Thomas Morgan, an evolutionary anthropologist from the Institute of Human Origins, explains that the human mind possesses “openness,” enabling the creation of endless combinations of ideas and tasks. Unlike animals that cannot string together multiple sub-tasks, humans can execute complex processes and sequences of actions, such as following a recipe.
Scientists Morgan and Marcus Feldman from Stanford University propose a hypothesis that human culture not only accumulates but also evolves endlessly. This ability allows human culture to surpass the natural constraints inherent in the evolution of animal cultures, such as epigenetic mechanisms or the impact of parental inheritance seen in ants or locusts.