Dr. Michael Chimento

When processes of perception, storage and production of socially learned behaviors are iterated within a population, culture emerges as persistent patterns of observable information. I am interested in investigating how variation in these processes, along with social factors (eg network structure, immigration) affect cultural evolution. In my PhD I used transmission chain experiments with captive great tits (parus major) as a study system for culture. I also used agent based models to explore the theoretical underpinnings of cultural evolution. I currently am working on a project exploring attention in great tits during social learning events.