Experimental Studies of Cultural Evolution

Abstract

This chapter reviews how experiments have played a growing role in the study of cultural evolution recently. Experiments occupy a middle ground between formal models and real-world observational and historical studies. Like models, they offer the advantages of control and manipulation in order to determine causal relations between variables. Like real-world studies, they involve actual human behaviour, albeit constrained within artificial boundaries. When interpreted within the context of this trade-off between external and internal validity, experiments can provide valuable insights into the processes and dynamics of cultural evolution. Given the centrality of social learning in theories of cultural evolution, experiments typically involve participants learning from at least one other participant. Various experimental designs have been employed including dyadic interactions, linear transmission chains, closed groups, replacement or migration methods, and economic games. Key findings relate to content and inductive biases that describe how the content of cultural traits affects their transmission and evolution; context biases concerning from whom traits are copied; studies probing the socio-cognitive and demographic factors that underpin cumulative cultural evolution; the burgeoning experimental study of non-human culture; and variation in learning strategies over the lifetime and across cultures. The chapter ends with some recommendations for future experimental research, including an awareness of the proper function and limitations of experimental methods; the need for closer links between experiments, theory, and real-world data; and the necessity for experiments to be both replicable and reproducible via open science practices, to ensure that new generations of scientists can build on reliable knowledge.

Cultural evolution: A review of theoretical challenges

“…The necessary condition stated above is infrequently operationalized in experiments. And when it is (as in Derex et al, 2014 ; Mesoudi, 2011 ), it risks misleading readers. Suppose a solitary individual and a group in a diffusion chain are each given one hour to complete the same task, and suppose that the group completes the task faster.…”

Transmitted costly signaling theory (TCS): an evolutionary perspective of inequality transmission at Liangzhu culture sites, southern coastal China

“…1). Demonstrators are those who appear to be more "successful" and "adaptive", and their certain cultural traits are more likely to be selected by learners for emulation (Acerbi et al, 2022;Mesoudi, 2023). And we argue that, by considering four players in a study, a larger group can be analyzed.…”

“…In such way, we propose that signals have the potential to be acquired by individuals and transmitted across successive generations. Furthermore, as with CET, the transmission of signals over generations can be generally depicted as occurring in two possible patterns -unbiased or biased (Acerbi et al, 2022;Henrich & McElreath, 2003;Mesoudi, 2021Mesoudi, , 2023Mesoudi & Whiten, 2008; and also see Table 1). Unbiased transmission occurs when cultural traits are selected and learned randomly, without any preference for speci c characteristics of the demonstrator (see Acerbi et al, 2022;Mesoudi, 2023).…”

“…Furthermore, as with CET, the transmission of signals over generations can be generally depicted as occurring in two possible patterns -unbiased or biased (Acerbi et al, 2022;Henrich & McElreath, 2003;Mesoudi, 2021Mesoudi, , 2023Mesoudi & Whiten, 2008; and also see Table 1). Unbiased transmission occurs when cultural traits are selected and learned randomly, without any preference for speci c characteristics of the demonstrator (see Acerbi et al, 2022;Mesoudi, 2023). In contrast, biased transmission is noticed when individuals decide to replicate a behavior based on certain characteristics of the demonstrator, which may not be directly related to the cultural traits itself (Acerbi et al, 2022;Mesoudi, 2023).…”

“…Unbiased transmission occurs when cultural traits are selected and learned randomly, without any preference for speci c characteristics of the demonstrator (see Acerbi et al, 2022;Mesoudi, 2023). In contrast, biased transmission is noticed when individuals decide to replicate a behavior based on certain characteristics of the demonstrator, which may not be directly related to the cultural traits itself (Acerbi et al, 2022;Mesoudi, 2023). The key aspect of biased transmission is that this decision is not based solely on cultural characteristics but also on speci c traits of the demonstrator being replicated.…”