social learning – envirobites

Hive Minds: Bumblebees Collaborate to Learn Complex Behaviors

March 27, 2024March 25, 2024 Lauren Glevanik 0 Comments animal behavior, bees, behavior, behavioral ecology, Culture, innovation, social, social learning

In a groundbreaking discovery, bumblebees have been shown to have a more sophisticated social culture than previously known. Bees could learn to solve a challenging puzzle through social interaction, demonstrating their ability to learn new and complex behaviors beyond their individual cognitive abilities. This study suggests that advanced social learning is not unique to humans, and encourages further exploration of collaboration and culture in the animal kingdom.

Animal behavior Case Studies

Learning through Observing: Social learning occurs across vertebrate species

June 12, 2020June 12, 2020 Elisabeth Lang 0 Comments Sharks, social learning

Social learning is widely thought to be something done only by species with social lives. However, recent research is showing that even more solitary species participate in social learning. A team of researchers from Australia tested the ability of a solitary shark species to learn through observing and mimicking members of their own species. They found that these particular sharks are capable of learning in this way, which contributes to our understanding of these animals’ lives and what we can do to conserve them.