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Social learning and the adaptiveness of expressing and perceiving fearfulness

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 May 2023

Karsten Olsen Open the ORCID record for Karsten Olsen [Opens in a new window]  and
Ida Selbing Open the ORCID record for Ida Selbing [Opens in a new window]
Karsten Olsen
Affiliation:
Interacting Minds Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus C 8000, Denmark etnoko@cas.au.dk
Ida Selbing
Affiliation:
Interacting Minds Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus C 8000, Denmark etnoko@cas.au.dk Department of Psychology, Karolinska Institutet, 171 65 Solna, Sweden ida.selbing@ki.se; www.emotionlab.se
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Abstract

The fearful ape hypothesis revolves around our ability to express and perceive fearfulness. Here, we address these abilities from a social learning perspective which casts fearfulness in a slightly different light. Our commentary argues that any theory that characterizes a (human) social signal as being adaptive, needs to address the role of social learning as an alternative candidate explanation.

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Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 46 , 2023 , e74
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press

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