Flexible Imitation
In a rapidly changing environment, copying the effective behaviors of knowledgeable others could be a much more effective learning strategy.
In the third chapter of How Traditions Live and Die, we reach a helpful point where the author lays out three options for imitation as a force in social learning (and sides with flexible imitation, by the way, as do I). However, I would probably try to make a case for combining all three options.
I should note, before presenting the quotation, that 'deference' and 'conformity' are emotive varnishes the author uses to coat the term 'imitation.' But you picking up a good idea from a neighbor while your friend picks up a contradictory idea from her neighbor are both examples of imitation—without 'deference' (no one set aside their own idea) or 'conformity' (you both picked up different ideas).
Option 1: Social influence is a simple heuristic that always makes us smart . . . It would mean that deference and conformity never lead us astray: we are always better off following them.
Option 2: Flexible imitation. Following social influence is not always a smart move, but when it is not, we simply turn to other cues, unless social influence is very cheap to follow, and the decision is not important enough to justify the cost of seeking more expensive cues.
Option 3: Compulsive imitation. Social influence is a simplistic heuristic that makes us dumb, at least in some domains. In this view, conformity and deference cannot be used selectively, depending on the circumstances: they are hardwired, leading us to dramatic mistakes.
As for Option 1, the notion that "deference and conformity never lead us astray" is of course wrong. However, as we saw here, social learning may likely always be the statistically better choice—over the alternatives—for cultural animals like humans:
In a rapidly changing environment, copying the effective behaviors of knowledgeable others (social learning) could be a much more effective learning strategy than learning directly from the environment (asocial learning).
What about Option 3? Is imitation compulsive? Well, no, not in the sense that one is always hypnotized by demonstrations to repeat the demonstrator's actions. But perhaps imitation is "psychologically privileged," such that you will almost always (maybe 96% of the time)—without thinking—look for information provided by others before striking out on your own.
Both of these options can coexist with Option 2: flexible imitation. In fact, we have already made them more flexible.
