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The evolutionary origins of human culture: a primatological perspective

Objective

Culture the inheritance of behavioural phenotypes through social learning is one of the most pervasive and influential characteristics of the human species. However, we lack knowledge about the origins of culture and to what extent its sub-components reflect species universals. Studying primates enables us to identify the evolutionary origins of human culture and the extent of its human uniqueness. Until now, it has largely been assumed that the social and cumulative components of human culture are derived phenomena that emerged after the phylogenetic split with the ape lineages. However, this claim may reflect a lack of adequate methodologies and research attention, leaving primate social culture underestimated. Now, combining novel techniques to investigate primate culture (deep learning) with innovative experiments in naturalistic settings, CULT_ORIGINS will overcome this issue by providing the first systematic study on social culture in primates. Rich datasets on macaques will be compared across an unprecedented number of groups to identify cultural variation in primate sociality and the existence of cooperative cultures. Great apes will be studied for their capacity to adopt cultural information flexibly and generate increasingly adaptive cultures the pinnacles of human culture. Combining the strengths of experimental rigor and naturalistic observation in an unparalleled multi-group approach, CULT_ORIGINS will deliver step-change insights into the origins of human culture that go far beyond the State-of-the-Art. We will test the hypothesis that culture permeates the fabric of primates sociality, where it impacts the expression of cooperation, social learning and cumulative culture, like in humans. By synergizing approaches across biology, psychology, ethology and anthropology, CULT_ORIGINS will advance our understanding of the origins of culture, one of our most remarkable capacities, and challenge current perspectives about its human uniqueness.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) ERC-2021-STG

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Host institution

UNIVERSITEIT UTRECHT
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 1 500 000,00
Address
HEIDELBERGLAAN 8
3584 CS Utrecht
Netherlands

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Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 1 500 000,00

Beneficiaries (1)

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