Sense of Acceptance: Key Factor of Social Learning

T. Akazawa et al. (eds.), Dynamics of Learning in Neanderthals and Modern Humans Volume 2: Cognitive and Physical Perspectives, Replacement of Neanderthals by Modern Humans Series, DOI 10.1007/978-4-431-54553-8_25, © Springer Japan 2014 Abstract In addition to individual learning abilities, the social learning abilities of modern humans likely played a key role in the replacement of Neanderthals by modern humans. In terms of social learning, acceptance from skilled members might facilitate the promotion of social learning processes. Accordingly, a sense of acceptance is one of major functions of social abilities underlying social learning. Thus, a sense of acceptance should be investigated for clarifying neural mechanisms underlying social learning. We propose two viewpoints for investigating the neural correlates underlying the sense of acceptance. Because a sense of acceptance promotes social behaviors, including social learning, through emotional changes, the neural correlates underlying the link between a sense of acceptance and the enhancement of social behavior and between a sense of acceptance and psychological effects should be explored.