The term social learning refers to learning that is influenced by observation of, or interaction
with, another animal (typically a conspecific) or its products (Box, 1984; Galef, I 988). The …

We summarize 20 years of empirical and theoretical research on causes and functions of
social influences on foraging by animals. We consider separately studies of social influence …

The hypothesis that intelligence is an adaptation to deal with the complexity of living in semi‐
permanent groups of conspecifics, a situation that involves the potentially tricky balance of …

Systematic research on imitation has been pursued for over a century, but methods and
conclusions generated in this time have come under strong attack in recent years. Among …

The acquisition and use of socially acquired information is commonly assumed to be
profitable. We challenge this assumption by exploring hypothetical scenarios where the use …

Untrained Octopus vulgaris (observers) were allowed to watch conditioned Octopus
(demonstrators) perform the task of selecting one of two objects that were presented …

Since the latter part of the 19th century, scientists have discussed the possibility that animals
are capable of learning by imitation. Darwin (1871) explained difficulties in poisoning or …

Hungry rats observed a conspecific demonstrator pushing a single manipulandum, a
joystick, to the right or to the left for food reward and were then allowed access to the joystick …

In the wake of telling critiques of the foundations on which earlier conclusions were based,
the last 15 years have witnessed a renaissance in the study of social learning in apes. As a …

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the social processes, influencing learning in
animals. Social learning can result in the social transmission of information through a …