Machine Learning Summer School

Skill acquisition improved by grouping strategies

In its brief evolutionary history Homo Sapiens has come to occupy a wider range than any other terrestrial vertebrate species. Our ability to successfully adapt to such a diverse range of habitats is often explained in terms of our cognitive ability. In contrast, the cultural niche hypothesis suggests that is the cultural evolution process that creates the adaptive packages (tools and beliefs) even beyond the causal understanding of the individuals who use them.

In order to study humans adaptive success, we set to investigate the effects of social learning strategies over skill acquisition. We quantify the impact of team play strategies on a online multiplayer game where a variable amount of players can participate in each game, playing individually or in teams. “Faithfulness-boost effect” provides a skill boost during the first games of experience that would be acquired only after thousands of game played.