This study aims to identify tactics used by the Turkish Hezbollah to recruit college students into joining their terrorist organization. This study based on the assumptions that social networks and institutional structures are two main tools that are used effectively by the Turkish Hezbollah to recruit college educated students. In this sense, the researcher claims that Social Learning theory and Social Control Theories can be used to provide theoretical explanation to the Hezbollah’s recruitment strategy. Parallel to these theories assumptions, while having militants within social networks increases the likelihood of being recruited through social learning theory assumptions, college students who are away from their families are more likely to be recruited through social control theory assumptions. The researcher uses individual level secondary data related to members of the Turkish Hezbollah. The data comprised of self reports that each member submitted to the Turkish Hezbollah as part of their recruitment process. The data are derived from the Turkish National Police’s database. Initially, frequency table is used to determine which structure and which theory best explain the Turkish Hezbollah’s recruitment strategies. Then, to decide which demographic factors increase or decrease the likelihood of being recruited through social networks (social learning theory) or institutional structures (social control theory), logistic regression is used. Eight independent variables are used to identify those factors such as having Hezbollah militants within social networks, pursuing college education while being away from family, family’s religious ideology, having online or campus education, family size, income level, college student’s religiosity level, and reason for attending Hezbollah. The findings indicated that social networks and institutional structures are two important tools that are used by the Turkish Hezbollah. Social networks are more effectively used structures comparing to institutional structures. According to the results, there are two important variables have more weight on dependent variable comparing to other variables. While having militants within the social networks increases the likelihood of being recruited through social learning theory assumptions, being away from families during college education increases the likelihood of being recruited through social control theory assumptions.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Family Studies & Human Services / Sonya L. Britt / Briana S. Nelson-Goff / The current three essay dissertation researched the financial behaviors of military service members before and after deployment using primary data collected at a Midwestern U.S. Army installation. The introduction (Chapter 1) reviewed the two financial surveys administered to Soldiers before (N = 701) and after (N = 670) they left for a yearlong deployment to a war zone. The first essay (Chapter 2) explored the financial behaviors, financial knowledge, and financial anxiety as they relate to rank and deployment. The results suggested that financial behaviors after deployment (Time 2) were significantly better than financial behaviors before deployment (Time 1). Rank had a positive effect on increased subjective financial knowledge where all ranks above privates (E1 to E2) had greater financial knowledge. Privates first class, specialists, and corporals (E3 to E4) had significantly lower financial knowledge than their direct supervisors, sergeants and staff sergeants (E5 to E6). Finally, Soldiers reported more financial anxiety before deployment (Time 1) than after deployment (Time 2). Using the framework of social learning theory, the second essay (Chapter 3) expanded the research of military financial behaviors before deployment to more fully understand stress and other factors that influence financial behavior outcomes. Results suggested that past behaviors and some personal factors played a significant role in Soldiers’ financial behaviors. Higher levels of subjective financial knowledge, more internal locus of control, and lower levels of financial anxiety all had a positive effect on financial behavior outcomes. The past behaviors variable had the most explanatory value in Soldiers’ financial behaviors before deployment. Soldiers with any amount of credit card debt had worse financial behaviors compared to Soldiers with no credit card debt, while Soldiers with greater amounts of emergency financial savings were more likely to have better financial behaviors than those who did not have any emergency financial savings. The final essay (Chapter 4) studied the factors that influenced financial behavior outcomes of both Soldiers and college students. This essay used primary data from a college student sample to compare to the before deployment (Time 1) survey data of Soldiers. Findings reported that past behaviors and some personal factors played a significant role in the financial behavior outcomes. Soldiers and college students with higher levels of subjective financial knowledge, more internal locus of control, and lower financial anxiety reported positive financial behaviors The most explanatory concept was that of past behaviors, which revealed that participants with no credit card debt had better financial behaviors compared to respondents who had any level of credit card debt. The conclusion (Chapter 5) highlights the findings of all three essays, which contribute both to the financial behavior literature. These papers also contribute to the research on the personal financial matters of service members. The research has direct implications for policy makers, military leaders, service providers, and financial planners and counselors.

A perspectiva socioambiental em Unidades de Conservação (UCs) tem fortalecido uma relação propositiva entre essas áreas e as populações, principalmente as que vivem em seu entorno. Tendo em vista que as UCs também visam à conservação do meio físico, é necessário que os aspectos da geodiversidade sejam protegidos tanto quanto os da biodiversidade. A geoconservação nessas UCs deve levar em conta os pressupostos da conservação da geodiversidade e a relação com as populações do entorno, de modo a utilizarse das diretrizes de sensibilização através da Educação Ambiental que vise o conhecimento e a participação social. Consolida-se assim uma estratégia significativa desde a definição até a implantação e monitoramento da geoconservação. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi definir estratégias de geoconservação pautadas em metodologias participativas nos núcleos Picinguaba e Caraguatatuba do Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar, a noroeste do estado de São Paulo. Diante das características singulares da área, avaliadas através do inventário e quantificação do patrimônio geológico, a presente pesquisa integrou a abordagem das geociências com a pesquisa social, lançando olhar sobre as percepções e dinâmicas socioambientais locais para constituir a etapa de valorização e divulgação das estratégias de geoconservação. Para atingir os objetivos propostos foram realizados os seguintes procedimentos: revisão bibliográfica, trabalhos de campo, questionários, entrevistas semiestruturadas e cursos relacionados à área das geociências e da geoconservação. A coleta de dados em campo envolveu 20 entrevistas com os moradores locais (tradicionais - caiçaras e quilombolas, e não tradicionais) e gestores dos núcleos; além disso, foram aplicados 70 questionários com os monitores ambientais e guias de turismo, professores de uma escola municipal de Ubatuba e, funcionários de uma ONG de atuação regional. O curso \"Estratégias de Geoconservação no Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar\" foi realizado em três módulos, no núcleo Picinguaba, no núcleo Caraguatatuba e em uma escola municipal de Ubatuba. Ao longo do curso de difusão foram utilizadas metodologias participativas sob a perspectiva da Aprendizagem Social (World Café e Mapeamento Socioambiental), buscando valorizar e divulgar a geodiversidade e o patrimônio geológico da área de estudo. Os resultados integraram o olhar dos atores locais através do diagnóstico socioambiental. As peculiaridades da relação dos habitantes com o lugar revelaram a atribuição de valores e sentidos para a paisagem e as interações socioculturais. Além disso, observou-se processos conflituosos e conciliatórios com a questão da UC, considerando também os conflitos e ameaças socioambientais inerentes a esse lugar. A análise da percepção geoambiental desses atores contribuiu com o entendimento dos valores atribuídos aos elementos da geodiversidade local. Dessa forma, apesar de não ter sido identificado a compreensão dos conceitos de geodiversidade e patrimônio geológico pelos atores envolvidos, ficou evidente a relação e o reconhecimento dos elementos da geodiversidade do lugar. Assim, através da abordagem dada pelo curso, houve a valorização e divulgação da geodiversidade e do patrimônio geológico, favorecendo a elaboração de estratégias de geoconservação através das metodologias participativas desenvolvidas durante o curso. / The socioenvironmental perspective in Environmental Protection Areas (EPAs) has strengthened collaborative relationships between these areas and the populations, especially those living in their vicinities. Since EPAs also aim at the conservation of the physical environment, it is necessary to protect the geodiversity aspects as well as those of the biodiversity. Geoconservation actions in the EPAs must take into account the assumptions concerning geodiversity conservation and the relationship with the surrounding populations, in order to use the awareness guidelines through Environmental Education aiming at knowledge and social participation. This consolidates a significant strategy, from the definition to the implementation and monitoring of geoconservation. The aim of this research was to define geoconservation strategies based on participative methodologies, in Picinguaba and Caraguatatuba Centers of the Serra do Mar State Park, northwest of the State of São Paulo. Taking into account the unique characteristics of the area, assessed through the inventory and quantification of the geological heritage, the present research integrates geosciences approach with social research, considering local socioenvironmental perceptions and dynamics, aiming to constitute the step of valorization and dissemination of the geoconservation strategies. To achieve the proposed objectives, the following procedures were carried out: literature review, fieldwork, questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and courses related to geosciences and geoconservation. Data collection in the field involved 20 interviews with local residents (traditional - caiçaras and quilombolas, and non-traditional) and managers of the centers; in addition, 70 questionnaires were applied to environmental education instructors and tourist guides, teachers of a municipal school in Ubatuba and employees of a regional NGO. The course \"Strategies of Geoconservation in the Serra do Mar State Park\" was carried out in three modules, in the Picinguaba Center, in the Caraguatatuba Center and in a municipal school in Ubatuba. Throughout the dissemination course, participative methodologies were applied from the perspective of Social Learning (World Café and Socioenvironmental Mapping), seeking to value and disseminate the geodiversity and the geological heritage of the study area. The results integrated the view of local actors through socioenvironmental diagnosis. The peculiarities of the relationship between the inhabitants and the locality revealed the attribution of values and senses to the landscape, and the socio-cultural interactions. In addition, there were conflicting and conciliatory processes concerning the EPA, also considering the socioenvironmental conflicts and threats inherent to this place. The analysis of the geoenvironmental perception of these actors contributed to the understanding of the values attributed to the elements of the local geodiversity. Thus, although the understanding of the concepts of geodiversity and geological heritage by the involved actors was not identified, the relationship with and the recognition of the local geodiversity elements became evident. Hence, through the approach addressed in the course, valorization and dissemination of the geodiversity and the geological heritage were reached, favoring the elaboration of geoconservation strategies through the participative methodologies developed during the course.

A gestão dos recursos hídricos do Brasil é relevante para o setor público, mas há um reconhecimento crescente de que as ferramentas tradicionais reguladoras não são suficientes para garantir a proteção da água minimizando os impactos antrópicos. Visando auxiliar na resolução deste problema, a legislação prevê a participação das comunidades em várias etapas do processo de gestão de recursos hídricos. Neste contexto, este estudo, realizado na APA Embu Verde localizada no Município de Embu das Artes na Região Metropolitana de São Paulo, avalia a implantação de um programa de monitoramento participativo, por meio de entrevistas, observação participante, questionários e grupo focal, considerando os níveis de Aprendizagem Social dos atores após a participação no referido programa e aplicação de uma ferramenta simplificada de biomonitoramento para voluntários. Com relação à Aprendizagem social, os voluntários atingiram os níveis de circuito simples e duplo, indicando que os processos de participação colaboram para a aquisição de conhecimentos sobre técnicas, métodos e meio físico. No entanto, não foi identificado o circuito de Aprendizagem tripla, correspondente à mobilização para a ação e solução dos problemas identificados, dado a complexidade dos mesmos. Os dados gerados pela ferramenta de biomonitoramento apresentaram resultados bastante próximos aos gerados por técnicas mais sofisticadas realizadas por especialistas, apresentando dificuldade apenas em distinguir ambientes de impactos intermediários. Além disso, o índice de voluntários apresenta caráter conservador, apontando que é mais provável que baixe a qualidade do local do que a superestime, evitando que impactos iniciais não sejam constatados. Sendo assim a prática de monitoramento participativo foi considerada uma boa ferramenta para potencializar o processo de Aprendizagem Social e levantar dados sobre a qualidade da água em riachos. / The Brazil\'s water resources management is relevant to the public sector but there is a growing recognition that the traditional regulatory tools are not enough to ensure the protection of water minimizing the anthropic impacts. In order to solve this problem, the legislation expects the participation of the communitie in several stages of the water resource management. In this context, this research performed by APA Embu Verde located in Embu das Artes, (the metropolitan area of São Paulo) rates the implantation of a participatory monitoring program by interviewing people, participant observation, questionnaires and focus group considering the level of social learning from the actors after their participation in the program and the application of a simplified tool of biomonitoring for the volunteers. Regarding the social learning, the volunteers reached the levels of Single loop learning and Double loop learning indicating that the processes of participation collaborate for the acquisition of knowledge about techniques, methods and physical means. However, the circuit of triple - loop learning has not been identified given the complexity of them. The data generated by the tool of biomonitoring, showed results very near those generated by more sophisticated techniquesperformed by experts presenting only difficulty in distinguishing environments intermediate impacts. In addition to that, the index of volunteers presents conservative character indicating that the quality of the site goes down, preventing initial impacts to be observed. Therefore, the practice of participatory monitoring was considered a good tool to enhance the social learning process and to assess water quality in streams.

Macacos-prego (Cebus apella) são proficientes manipuladores de objetos. Este trabalho teve como objetivo estudar os processos de aprendizagem individual e social que durante a aquisição de um comportamento que consistia na abertura de trincos de uma caixa-problema. Foram utilizados dois grupos de macacos, sendo que de cada grupo um indivíduo foi treinado para executar a tarefa. A análise do processo de aprendizagem individual destes dois sujeitos foi feita a partir da construção de curvas de aprendizagem que levaram em conta a interação dos animais com a caixa e com os trincos. Além disso, foi feita uma análise de seqüências comportamentais através do uso de modelos log-lineares. Posteriormente, estes sujeitos serviram de modelo para os outros indivíduos do seu grupo: o sujeito treinado executava a tarefa enquanto era assistido por um outro indivíduo do grupo. Em seguida o modelo era retirado do recinto e o observador poderia tentar executar a tarefa. Desta forma pretendia-se estudar os processos de aprendizagem por observação. Os macacos-prego devidamente treinados tornaram-se eficientes abridores de trincos, evidenciando que possuem uma grande capacidade de aprendizagem individual. Os dados sobre aprendizagem social foram inconclusivos principalmente porque os observadores não observaram adequadamente a demonstração da tarefa. / Capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) are excellent object handlers. This work aimed to study individual and social learning processes which took place during the aquisition of a task that consisted on opening bolts from a problem-box. Two groups were used and, from each group, one subject was trained to perform the task. The analysis of the individual learning process was based on the construction of learning curves with the animals\' interactions with the box and the bolts. Besides, an analysis of behavior sequences through the use of log-linears models was performed. Then, these subjects were used as models for the other subjects in their own group: the trained subject performed the task while another subject of the group watched. Afterwards, the model was put aside and the observer would be allowed to try to solve the task in order to study observational learning processes. The well trained monkeys became efficient bolt openers, showing that they have great individual learning skills. Data from social learning were inconclusive mainly because the observers didn\'t watch the demonstration of the task properly.

Submitted by Filipe dos Santos (fsantos@pucsp.br) on 2017-07-18T12:07:01Z No. of bitstreams: 1 André Thiago Saconatto.pdf: 1486009 bytes, checksum: f522cd5ab54b2b544dc17d30dbf5b6c4 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-18T12:07:01Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 André Thiago Saconatto.pdf: 1486009 bytes, checksum: f522cd5ab54b2b544dc17d30dbf5b6c4 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-06-28 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / Cumulative cultural evolution is a phenomenon that has been studied by a different number of areas in science and it suppose not only transmission, but also the progressive accumulation and modification of behavioral repertoire that would allowed knowledge development that would not be possible to be produced by a single individual alone. A relevant question in those studies is which social learning mechanism(s) is/are accountable for cumulative cultural evolution to occur. The goal of this study was to verify the effect from three different transmission forms – access to the final product, access to the process and instruction – in an experimental task in order to determine if cumulative cultural evolution would occur. In order to reach the goal, a structure construction task using modeling clay and reed were used. The structure was evaluated by putting it over a wooden holder with a hole in the middle of it, and 50-gram weights were thrown above the structure, one by one, until it collapse or a weight touched the table. Two hundred graduates and undergraduates students participated in the research. Participants were distributed into four conditions: at the process condition, participants could see others building their structures; at the final product condition, participants could see the finished structure from the previous participant; at the instruction condition, participants had could read an instruction left from the previous participant. At each condition, there were eight groups, with eight participants in each group, and the next one at the building task followed each participant. At the control condition, eight participants did the building task eight times each (one participant was equivalent to a group from the other conditions). None of the participants had access to the structure evaluation result. The study’s result showed that there were not gradual increase in the number of weights held by the structures as the participants were replaced; and in the groups at the process condition there were a statistical significance in relation to control group, and the number of weights held by the structures this condition were smaller than in the other conditions. One hypotheses is the lack of access to the structure evaluation results by the participants to be a crucial point that contributed to the non-occurrence of the cumulative cultural evolution / A evolução cultural cumulativa, que supõe não só a transmissão, mas o acúmulo progressivo e a modificação de repertórios comportamentais – o que permitiria o desenvolvimento de conhecimentos que não são possíveis de serem produzidos por um único indivíduo –, tem sido estudada por diversas áreas do conhecimento. Uma questão relevante nesses estudos diz respeito a qual(ais) mecanismo(s) de aprendizagem social é(são) necessário(s) para que ocorra evolução cultural cumulativa. O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar o efeito de três diferentes formas de transmissão – acesso ao processo, acesso ao produto final e instrução – em uma tarefa experimental sobre a ocorrência ou não de evolução cultural cumulativa. Para isso, foi utilizado uma tarefa de construção de uma estrutura com massa de modelar e palha. A estrutura foi avaliada colocando-a em cima de um suporte de madeira com um buraco no meio, e sobre ela eram jogados, um por um, pesos de 50 gramas, até que ou a estrutura se rompesse ou um peso tocasse a mesa. Participaram do estudo 200 estudantes de graduação e pós-graduação. Os participantes foram distribuídos em quatro condições: na condição processo, os participantes viam um outro construir a estrutura; na condição produto final, os participantes tinham acesso visual à estrutura pronta do participante anterior; já na condição instrução, cada participante tinha acesso a uma instrução escrita deixada pelo participante que o procedera. Em cada uma dessas condições trabalharam oito grupos, com oito participantes cada, sendo que cada participante de um grupo seguia o outro na realização da tarefa. Na condição controle, oito participantes realizaram a tarefa de construir a estrutura por oito vezes seguidas (cada participante equivaleria a um grupo de oito participantes das demais condições). Nenhum participante teve acesso ao resultado da avaliação das estruturas. Os resultados mostraram que não houve, em nenhuma das condições, aumento gradativo do número de pesos suportados pelas estruturas conforme os participantes eram substituídos; e que nos grupos da condição processo houve diferença estatisticamente significativa em relação ao grupo controle, sendo este o grupo em que o número de pesos que as estruturas suportaram foram menores do que nas demais condições. Levanta-se a possibilidade de que o desconhecimento dos participantes em relação ao resultado da avaliação das estruturas seja um fator que contribua para a não ocorrência de evolução cumulativa

A superimitação é definida como uma tendência à cópia de todas as ações executadas por um modelo, mesmo as claramente irrelevantes. Os mecanismos motivacionais e a funcionalidade da superimitação ainda são pouco compreendidos, mas um possível sentido adaptativo estaria associado à opacidade causal de boa parte dos comportamentos socialmente aprendidos. Este fenômeno tem sido amplamente replicado em vários contextos e observado no comportamento de crianças de diversas faixas etárias e até mesmo de adultos. Apesar de sua aparente robustez, estudos têm relatado que a superimitação é sensível a algumas características do modelo. Estas evidências são compatíveis com a previsão de modelos teóricos de coevolução genes-cultura de que a aprendizagem social humana é influenciada por um conjunto de vieses cognitivos que permitem que a aquisição de informações ocorra de maneira seletiva, desfavorecendo a aprendizagem de comportamentos maladaptativos que podem estar disponíveis no contexto social. Este trabalho teve como objetivo investigar o efeito de informações relacionadas à competência ou incompetência de um modelo adulto sobre a fidelidade da cópia de ações relevantes e irrelevantes observadas por crianças de 5 anos de idade em uma tarefa. Foram testadas as influências de informações declaradas pelo próprio modelo e também por terceiros em uma conversa sobre o modelo. Adicionalmente, foram investigadas diferenças entre os sexos dos participantes quanto à fidelidade da cópia. Os resultados indicam um efeito fraco dos vieses de \"competência autodeclarada\" e de \"prestígio\" do modelo sobre a superimitação. Outras informações, potencialmente mais confiáveis (não manipuladas neste estudo), podem ter sido utilizadas pelas crianças para atribuição de competência ao modelo / Overimitation is defined by a tendency of copying all actions executed by a model, even the clearly irrelevants. The motivational mechanisms and functionality of overimitation still aren\'t well understood, but its possible adaptive meaning would be related to causal opacity of a great part of the socially learned behaviors. This phenomenon has been widely replicated in several contexts and observed in behavior of children of different ages and even in adults. Despite the seeming robustness of overimitation, studies showed that it is sensitive to some characteristics of the model. These evidences are consistent with the prediction of theoretical models of gene-culture coevolution that human social learning is affected by a set of cognitive biases that allow a selective acquisition of information, disadvantaging the learning of maladaptive behaviors that can be socially available. Our work intended to investigate the effect of information about the competence or incompetence of an adult model on the copy fidelity of relevant and irrelevant actions by five-year-old children in a task. We tested the influence of self-declared information about the model and also the same kind of information given by third-parties in a conversation about the model. We also investigate sex differences in copy fidelity. Our results reveal a weak effect of \"self-declared competence\" or \"prestige\" model-based biases on overimitation. Other information, potentially more reliable but not manipulated by us, could be used by the children to assign competence to the model

The curriculum for ICT in UK schools was discontinued in September 2012 and replaced by a 'rebranded' subject of Computing, divided into three sub domains: Computer Science; Information Technology; and digital literacy. The latter was positioned as basic technical skills. There were concerns in the education community that the new curriculum promoted programming and computer science topics to the detriment of digital literacy and applied uses of technology. Much of the Computing education literature perpetuates the hegemony of the logical and abstract, and implies computational thinking and rationality are synonymous with criticality. During the same period, a maker culture was growing rapidly in the UK, and discourses around these activities promoted an entirely different notion of digital literacy, aligned with the wide body of literacy literature that focuses on notions of empowerment and criticality rather than basic functional skills. A digital maker tool called the Raspberry Pi was released with the intention of supporting the development of computer science and digital making competence, and thus sat at the boundary of the academic and maker communities. This thesis argues that developing 'criticality' is a vital component of Computing education and explores how learning activities with the Raspberry Pi might support development of 'criticality'. In setting the scene for the investigation, I will first explore the notions underpinning discourse around both computational and critical thinking and digital literacy, suggesting that the frictions would be best overcome by abandoning abstract constructs of knowledge and assumptions that it is possible to separate theory and practice. I show how the term 'critical' is itself problematic in the literature and I look to Wenger's social theory of learning to avoid the individualistic limits of Papert's constructionism, a popular learning theory in Computing education. Wenger's constructs of knowledgeability and competence help tell a different story of what it means to be a learner of the practice of Computing, both in learning for academic purposes and with intentions towards becoming a practitioner. In concert with learning citizenship, these constructs offer a more ethical framing of 'criticality'. Informed by this theoretical position, I suggest an original, exploratory implementation of Q methodology to explore learning with technology in school settings. I qualitatively compare 'before' and 'after' Q studies that represent perspectives at the individual and collective level, with reference to observations of classroom learning. The methodology facilitates a nuanced and complex investigation and the findings of the project suggest that where pupils are already predisposed to the subject, working with the Raspberry Pi develops a broader knowledgeability, but where there is no such predisposition, a pedagogy of expressibility influences how participation in Raspberry Pi learning activities may impact knowledgeability.

Esta pesquisa analisou o processo participativo para a criação da Lei Específica da Guarapiranga (Lei n.º 12.233 de 16/01/2006), nos aspectos da governança da água e da aprendizagem social. A análise foi realizada com base na experiência do Subcomitê da Bacia Hidrográfica Cotia-Guarapiranga (SCBH-CG), na Região Metropolitana de São Paulo (RMSP). No processo de negociação para aprovação da referida Lei, estiveram envolvidos os representantes dos segmentos do Poder Público, Estado e prefeituras dos municípios da bacia, e da sociedade civil, no período de 1999 a 2006. Essa vivência demonstrou o quão desafiador é um processo de negociação entre os diferentes atores e diversos interesses no uso da água, que afetam a disponibilidade qualitativa e quantitativa na bacia da Guarapiranga, a qual abastece, aproximadamente, 4 milhões de pessoas na RMSP. Os resultados obtidos mostram que, embora esse processo tenha sido marcado por diversos momentos de tensão, conflitos, indefinições institucionais e morosidade, representou um significativo avanço na consolidação do sistema integrado de recursos hídricos. Cabe observar também que, apesar dos resultados poderem ainda parecer bastante modestos, face aos desafios existentes, estes representam um importante progresso em termos dos seus alcances para o fortalecimento de uma gestão democrática e compartilhada. Nesse contexto, pode-se concluir que a democracia participativa na governança das águas é um processo de aprendizagem social que vem sendo aperfeiçoado gradativamente para a sustentabilidade hídrica. / This research analyzes the participatory process that preceded the creation of the Specific Law for the Guarapiranga Basin (Law nº. 12.233 of 16/01/2006), emphasizing aspects of water governance and social learning. The analysis was based on the experience of the watershed subcommittee Cotia-Guarapiranga (SCBH-CG) in the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo (MRSP). In the negotiation process for the approval of this law, representatives of the segments of the Government, state and local governments of municipalities of the basin, and civil society were involved from 1999 to 2006. This experience demonstrated the challenges of a process of negotiation among different stakeholders and their interests in water use that affect the availability of water in the Guarapiranga basin, which supplies about 4 million people in the MRSP. The results show that, although the process has been characterized by many moments of tension, conflicts, uncertainties and institutional delays, it represented a significant advance in the consolidation of the integrated system of water resources management in the basin. It should be noted also that although outcomes may seem modest, considering the existing challenges, they represent an important progress in terms of its scope to strengthen democratic and shared management of water resources. In this context, the conclusion is that participatory democracy in water governance is a process of social learning that has been improved gradually to reach more sustainability.

Le succès remarquable -écologique et démographique- de l'espèce humaine est largement attribué à notre capacité pour la culture cumulative, i.e. l'accumulation d'innovations culturelles à travers le temps. L'absence ou du moins la rareté de la culture cumulative chez les autres animaux a conduit à de nombreuses spéculations à propos des facteurs nécessaires à son émergence. La culture cumulative dépend étroitement de processus permettant de générer de l'information, et de mécanismes permettant à cette information d'être fidèlement transmise entre les individus. A l'aide d'une approche expérimentale basée sur l'utilisation de jeux sur ordinateur, nous montrons que la capacité d'imitation des patrons comportementaux peut grandement faciliter la fidélité de transmission des informations culturelles. De même, une grande taille de population contribue à la stabilisation des informations culturelles, particulièrement dans le cas d'informations complexes. Cependant, la culture cumulative requiert également la production d'innovations qui ne peut résulter de ces seuls facteurs. D'un point de vue théorique, les innovations sont généralement plus coûteuses à produire qu'à copier, de sorte que la sélection peut difficilement opérer au profit des innovateurs. Nos résultats nous permettent cependant d'avancer que l'émergence d'objets culturels technologiquement opaques pourrait permettre aux innovateurs de bénéficier plus largement de leurs innovations. L'émergence de l'opacité technologique pourrait ainsi constituer un pivot dans l'évolution de la culture cumulative, permettant de favoriser à la fois l'innovation et les mécanismes fidèles de transmission d'information. Les capacités à hiérarchiser et planifier ses actions étant essentiel à la production d'objets culturels technologiquement opaques, il est possible que l'absence apparente de culture cumulative chez les animaux non-humains soit due à un moindre développement de ces capacités cognitives. Finalement nous proposons que la complexité de la culture humaine repose sur quatre facteurs principaux : capacité à hiérarchiser et planifier ses actions, capacité à imiter, collaboration interindividuelle et grande taille de population. / The remarkable success – both ecological and demographic- of the human species is widely attributed to our capability for cumulative culture, i.e. the accumulation of innovations over time. The lack or at least the rarity of cumulative culture in non-human animals has led to much speculation about factors enabling its emergence. Cumulative culture strongly depends on processes allowing generating information, and mechanisms allowing information to be efficiently transmitted between individuals. Using a computer-based experimental approach, we show that process-copying ability improves the fidelity of cultural information transmission. Also, population size contributes to the stability of cultural information, especially for complex information. However, cumulative culture also requires the creation of new innovations, which cannot be the outcome of these factors. From a theoretical point of view, innovations are generally costlier to produce than to copy, so that selection hardly favours innovators. From our results, we propose that the emergence of technologically opaque cultural traits may allow innovators to more widely benefit from their innovations. Thus, the emergence of technological opacity could be pivotal in the rise of cumulative culture, allowing favouring innovation and faithful copying mechanisms. Because the ability to plan actions in a hierarchical way is pivotal to produce technologically opaque cultural artefacts, the lack of cumulative culture in non-human animals could be due to limitations of these cognitive skills. Finally, we propose that human cultural complexity depends on four main factors: the ability to plan actions in a hierarchical way, the ability to process-copy, inter-individual collaboration and large population size.