A year later, here are some additional thoughts or questions…
You wrote: “By copying five people instead of one, they were effectively recombining the lessons learned from five different sources to create a new strategy that they could then try in the next round. The recombinations that succeeded best in the subsequent round were then given the most weight by the next round of students. So in each round students inherited the learning from students who had participated in earlier rounds.”
Random Thoughts
1) The similarities to biological sexual recombination are striking.
2) Of course, recombination is a form of innovation and variation. It is creating new patterns by using old solutions combined in new ways.
3) By learning from 5 people prior to copying, they are also dramatically increasing the learning time, so this could also be contributing
4) By seeing 5 examples, the shared or core foundational principles would probably stand out.
5) By seeing 5 examples, the copier could also use benchmarking to select which alternatives are best
6) As you wrote: “the line between innovating and copying becomes increasingly blurred.” I think this gets to the heart of cumulative improvements over time. The process Henrich shares leads both to more accurate copying, and smarter, more efficient forms of innovation and it does so at the same time.
That is, the human tendency to copy other people's (apparently) successful ideas, habits and practices, with the occasional slight deviation or differences, whether accidental or deliberate, that allow innovation or adaption to new conditions.
Where it is getting even more interesting, is that humans tend to copy other ideas and practices from successful people regardless of how related to success they can be. Like copying some champion's basketball style, but also buying the same shoes.
Wonderful post today, Michael.
Wonderful post today, Michael. :)
A year later, here are some additional thoughts or questions…
You wrote: “By copying five people instead of one, they were effectively recombining the lessons learned from five different sources to create a new strategy that they could then try in the next round. The recombinations that succeeded best in the subsequent round were then given the most weight by the next round of students. So in each round students inherited the learning from students who had participated in earlier rounds.”
Random Thoughts
1) The similarities to biological sexual recombination are striking.
2) Of course, recombination is a form of innovation and variation. It is creating new patterns by using old solutions combined in new ways.
3) By learning from 5 people prior to copying, they are also dramatically increasing the learning time, so this could also be contributing
4) By seeing 5 examples, the shared or core foundational principles would probably stand out.
5) By seeing 5 examples, the copier could also use benchmarking to select which alternatives are best
6) As you wrote: “the line between innovating and copying becomes increasingly blurred.” I think this gets to the heart of cumulative improvements over time. The process Henrich shares leads both to more accurate copying, and smarter, more efficient forms of innovation and it does so at the same time.
Very insightful.
All good points!
Is that not the basis of the meme theory ?
That is, the human tendency to copy other people's (apparently) successful ideas, habits and practices, with the occasional slight deviation or differences, whether accidental or deliberate, that allow innovation or adaption to new conditions.
Where it is getting even more interesting, is that humans tend to copy other ideas and practices from successful people regardless of how related to success they can be. Like copying some champion's basketball style, but also buying the same shoes.