DOI: 10.5061/dryad.80gb5mm2s
title: Data from: Complex dynamics of social learning in groups of wild Arabian Babblers

description: We studied the effect of a demonstrator on the learning of a novel
 foraging task in 12 groups of free-living cooperative breeding Arabian
 babblers (Argya squamiceps). We allowed naïve babblers to forage jointly
 on a foraging grid with a demonstrator previously trained to solve a task
 in one of two possible methods: lifting covers of one color or pecking
 through covers of another color. We found that most group members learned
 to solve the task using one of the methods, and persisted with it even
 when later tested with covers of a third (neutral) color that could be
 opened by both lifting and pecking. However, the method learned by group
 members did not necessarily follow the method used by the pre-trained
 demonstrator. Instead, learners within each group tended to use the same
 method (significantly more than expected by chance), and the extent to
 which groups differed from the demonstrator was correlated with the extent
 to which the demonstrator occasionally (and quite rarely) also exhibited
 the alternative method. These results, together with further analysis of
 the sequence of events in each group, suggest that both naïve birds and
 demonstrators learn socially from each other, as well as through
 individual trial-and-error learning, which enables naïve individuals to
 become demonstrators themselves and influence the pattern of social
 transmission. This process mostly leads to a homogenous group behavior,
 but one that cannot be predicted by the seeded demonstration.
description: # Dataset from a social foraging experiment with naive and pre-trained
 demonstrators in Arabian babblers All data described below are contained
 in the file aljadeff_et_al_arabian_babblers_data.csv included in this
 repository. For questions or comments, please contact Naama Aljadeff
 ([naama.aljadeff@gmail.com](mailto:naama.aljadeff@gmail.com)) ##
 General_characteristics General characteristics of individuals and groups
 | Column heading | Description | | ------------------- |
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | group | The group to which the babbler belongs (12 natural groups of cooperatively breeding babblers were studied) | | ID | Babbler identity (determined by a unique combination of one metal and three colored rings) | | role | Pre-trained demonstrator or naïve individual (in each babbler group, one male was trained as a demonstrator) | | sex | The individual's sex: M or F (if known) | | rank | The individual's rank: dominant or subordinate | | age | The individual's age in years (if known) | | demonstrator\_skill | The skill the demonstrator was trained to use: lift (L) or peck (P) | | demonstrator\_rank | The social rank of the trained demonstrator in the group | | demonstrated\_color | The color of the covers the demonstrator was trained to open: orange or blue | | num\_group\_members | The number of group members that participated in the experiment, including the trained demonstrator (groups consisted of 4 to 10 individuals) | ## Choices Foraging choices made by naïve individuals and demonstrators | Column heading | Description | | ------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | total\_num\_lifts | The number of cover lifts performed by the individual throughout the experiment (see Methods for full definition) | | total\_num\_pecks | The number of cover pecks performed by the individual throughout the experiment (see Methods for full definition) | | total\_num\_steps | The number of foraging steps performed by the individual throughout the experiment (see Methods for full definition) | | lift\_proportion | The proportion of cover lifts performed out of all foraging steps (total\_num\_lifts / total\_num\_steps) | | demonstrator\_correct\_proportion | The proportion of correct demonstrations by the demonstrator (lifts if trained to lift, pecks if trained to peck / total\_num\_steps) | | copy\_demonstrator\_skill\_proportion | The proportion of foraging steps in which the individual copied the demonstrator's trained skill (lifts or pecks / total\_num\_steps) | | group\_mean\_lift\_proportion | The mean lift proportion among all group members excluding the trained demonstrator | | deviation\_lift\_proportion | The individual's deviation from the group mean lift proportion (lift\_proportion - group\_mean\_lift\_proportion) | ## Observed_choices Foraging behavior of other individuals observed by the focal individual | Column heading | Description | | --------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | total\_num\_observed\_lifts | The number of cover lifts observed by the individual while on the foraging grid throughout the experiment | | total\_num\_observed\_pecks | The number of cover pecks observed by the individual while on the foraging grid throughout the experiment | | total\_num\_observed\_steps | The number of foraging steps observed by the individual while on the foraging grid throughout the experiment | | observed\_lift\_proportion | The proportion of observed cover lifts out of all observed foraging steps (total\_num\_observed\_lifts / total\_num\_observed\_steps) | | group\_mean\_observed\_lift\_proportion | The mean observed lift proportion among all group members excluding the trained demonstrator | | deviation\_observed\_lift\_proportion | The individual's deviation from the group mean observed lift proportion (observed\_lift\_proportion - group\_mean\_observed\_lift\_proportion) | | total\_num\_observed\_lifts\_by\_demonstrator\_only | The number of demonstrator cover lifts observed by the individual throughout the experiment | | total\_num\_observed\_steps\_by\_demonstrator\_only | The number of demonstrator foraging steps observed by the individual throughout the experiment | | observed\_lift\_proportion\_by\_demonstrator\_only | The proportion of demonstrator cover lifts observed by the individual (total\_num\_observed\_lifts\_by\_demonstrator\_only / total\_num\_observed\_steps\_by\_demonstrator\_only) | | group\_mean\_observed\_lift\_proportion\_by\_demonstrator\_only | The mean demonstrator lift proportion observed by all other naïve individuals in the group | | deviation\_observed\_lift\_proportion\_by\_demonstrator\_only | The individual's deviation from the group mean observed demonstrator lift proportion (observed\_lift\_proportion\_by\_demonstrator\_only - group\_mean\_observed\_lift\_proportion\_by\_demonstrator\_only) | | observed\_correct\_proportion\_by\_demonstrator | The proportion of correct demonstrations by the demonstrator observed by the individual (lifts or pecks / total\_num\_observed\_steps\_by\_demonstrator\_only) | | group\_mean\_observed\_correct\_proportion\_by\_demonstrator | The mean demonstrator correct demonstration proportion observed by all other naïve individuals in the group | | deviation\_observed\_correct\_proportion\_by\_demonstrator | The individual's deviation from the group mean of observed demonstrator correct demonstrations | ## Stage_3_choices Foraging choices of naïve individuals and demonstrators during stage 3 of the experiment (see Methods for details) | Column heading | Description | | ------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | stage3\_total\_num\_lifts | The number of cover lifts performed by the individual in stage 3 of the experiment | | stage3\_total\_num\_steps | The number of foraging steps performed by the individual in stage 3 of the experiment | | stage3\_lift\_proportion | The proportion of cover lifts out of all foraging steps in stage 3 (stage3\_total\_num\_lifts / stage3\_total\_num\_steps) | ## Additional_metrics Additional metrics related to time spent on the grid and feeding success | Column heading | Description | | --------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | total\_time\_on\_grid | The total duration of social foraging on the grid throughout the experiment | | total\_time\_with\_demonstrator | The total duration spent on the grid with the trained demonstrator | | average\_time\_spent\_with\_naive | The mean duration spent on the grid with all other naïve individuals in the group | | feeding\_success\_lift | The proportion of rewarding cover lifts (actions resulting in food consumption) out of all lifts | | feeding\_success\_peck | The proportion of rewarding cover pecks (actions resulting in food consumption) out of all pecks |