By NewsBlogger A recent study published in Nature reveals that bumblebees can learn complex puzzles from one another, challenging the traditional view of social learning abilities in non-human animals.
At a glance
- Bumblebees can learn complex puzzles from one another to receive rewards.
- Bees learn a two-step puzzle box task through social observation.
- Challenges the traditional view that only humans can socially learn complex behavior.
- Bees’ ability to learn from one another may help them understand cumulative cultural evolution.
- The importance of social interaction in learning complex tasks is highlighted in the study.
The details
In a recent study published in Nature, researchers have discovered that bumblebees can learn complex puzzles from one another to receive rewards.
The study involved training bees to complete a two-step puzzle box task. In this task, the bees had to learn to open the box from demonstrators without the need for a reward.
The bees struggled to solve the puzzle independently but were able to learn the whole sequence through social observation of trained bees.
This finding challenges the traditional view that only humans can socially learn complex behavior.
The bees’ ability to learn from one another opens up possibilities for understanding how cumulative culture evolved, referring to the gradual accumulation of knowledge and skills over generations.
The study suggests that many accomplishments of social insects, such as bees, may have spread through the copying of clever innovators.
Interestingly, the researchers found that bees were unable to open the box without a trained bee demonstrating the solution, highlighting the importance of social interaction in learning complex tasks.
This discovery sheds light on the cognitive abilities of bees and their capacity for social learning.
This study also draws parallels with other social animals, such as chimpanzees, who have been shown to learn new skills by observing and mimicking their peers.
In a similar experiment with chimpanzees, the animals were trained to solve a puzzle box and were able to pass on the knowledge to others in their cohort.
Overall, this research showcases the remarkable cognitive abilities of bumblebees and highlights the importance of social interaction in learning complex tasks.
It provides valuable insights into the potential for social learning in non-human animals and challenges our understanding of intelligence and behavior in the animal kingdom.
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| independent.co.uk |
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| – Bumblebees can learn complex puzzles from each other to gain rewards – Bees struggle to complete puzzles alone but can learn from peers – Study published in Nature shows bees can learn complex tasks through social interaction – Bees were trained to complete a two-step puzzle box task – Bees learned to open the box from demonstrators without needing a reward – Bees failed to solve the puzzle independently without demonstrators – Bees had to learn two steps to get the reward, with the first step being unrewarded – Bees learned the whole sequence from social observation of trained bees – Bees couldn’t open the box without a trained bee to demonstrate the solution – Study opens possibilities for understanding how cumulative culture evolved – Cumulative culture refers to the gradual accumulation of knowledge and skills over generations – Bees challenge the traditional view that only humans can socially learn complex behavior – Many accomplishments of social insects may have spread by copying of clever innovators – Chimpanzees can learn new skills by observing each other – Chimpanzees were trained to solve a puzzle box and passed on the knowledge to others in a cohort |
