Understanding Cultural Information Flow: A Qualitative study of a small social group

This study uses qualitative data to explore closely adoption and onward transmission. Interview data were collected in relation to housework regarding the perceived behaviour of participants’ parents, of themselves, and of their (grand)children (N=14). Observational data was also collected from the members of one of the families for triangulation purposes. Following the six-phase process of thematic analysis, we extracted three main themes: individual learning, horizontal transmission, and vertical transmission. While only few instances were categorised as ‘individual learning’, the instances of horizontal and vertical transmission were numerous, and included the transmission of dichotomous traits. Thus, we explored why some cultural variants outcompete others and how certain learning and teaching mechanisms lead to increased stability and longevity. Vertical congruence was observed during the transmission of a dichotomous cultural trait: transmitters who acquired two variants of the same trait (one horizontally and one vertically) chose to vertically transmit onward to learners – i.e., their (grand)children – the variant which they had previously acquired vertically (i.e., from their own parents or grandparents), even if they exhibited both variants themselves. Horizontal congruence was observed even in sibling-to-sibling transmission, as the transmitter (older sibling) transmitted onward to the learner (younger sibling) the cultural variants which he/she had previously acquired from a peer (even if these were in competition with vertically acquired alternatives). Finally, we discuss the effects of the mother/wife-transmitter, who can weaken the effects of the vertical-congruence effect in the case of her spouse and enhance them in the case of their children.