Reconstructing the technical and cognitive abilities of past hominins requires an understanding of how skills like stone toolmaking were learned and transmitted. We ask how much of the variability in the uptake of knapping skill is due to the characteristics of the knapping sequences themselves? Fundamental to skill acquisition is proceduralization, the process whereby skilful tasks are converted from declarative memories (consciously memorized facts and events) into procedural memories (sub-consciously memorized actions) via repetitive practice. From knapping footage, we time and encode each action involved in discoidal, handaxe, Levallois and prismatic blade production. The structure and complexity of these reduction sequences were quantified using k-mer analysis and Markov chains. The amount of time spent on tasks and the pattern of core rotations revealed portions of these reduction sequences that are predisposed to being converted into procedural memories. We observed two major pathways to achieve this proceduralization: either a repetitive or a predictable sequence of core rotations. Later Acheulean handaxes and Levallois knapping involved a predictable platform selection sequence, while prismatic blade knapping involved a repetitive exploitation of platforms. Technologies and the portions of their reduction sequence that lend themselves to proceduralization probably facilitated the more rapid uptake of stone toolmaking skill.

重建过去人类的技术和认知能力需要了解石器制造等技能是如何学习和传播的。我们要问的是，敲击技能的吸收差异有多少是由于敲击序列本身的特征造成的？技能习得的基础是程序化，即通过重复练习将技能任务从陈述性记忆（有意识地记住事实和事件）转换为程序性记忆（下意识地记住的动作）的过程。根据敲击镜头，我们对盘状、手斧、勒瓦卢瓦和棱柱形刀片生产中涉及的每个动作进行计时和编码。使用 k 聚体分析和马尔可夫链对这些还原序列的结构和复杂性进行量化。花在任务上的时间量和核心旋转的模式揭示了这些还原序列中易于转换为程序记忆的部分。我们观察到实现这种程序化的两种主要途径：重复的或可预测的核心轮换序列。后来的阿舍利手斧和勒瓦卢瓦敲击涉及可预测的平台选择序列，而棱柱形刀片敲击涉及平台的重复利用。技术及其还原序列中有助于程序化的部分可能促进了石器制造技能的更快采用。