Who Benefits from Complexity? A View from Futuna

Hayden, Brian; Villeneuve, Suzanne

doi:10.1007/978-1-4419-6300-0_5

Cited by 44 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 65 publications

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“…This is because influential individuals only receive more resources from the collective task and not from the personal resources of each individual. In the same manner, empirical evidence shows preferential access of leaders to resources, but also suggests that access is limited to the collective resources (Hayden and Villeneuve, 2010). Indeed, the important anti-authoritarian system of pre-Neolithic populations greatly limited the exploitation of personal resources (Boehm, 2001).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…Yet, it is hard to see how evolution can lead individuals to being influenceable followers, since this an apparently disadvantageous position compared to leaders. Indeed, leaders (thanks to their influence), tend to exploit followers (Hayden and Villeneuve, 2010). To solve this dilemma, the organizational advantage of a hierarchical group is often evoked.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Emergence of hierarchy from the evolution of individual influence in an agent-based model

Perret¹,

Powers²,

Hart³

2017

Proceedings of the 14th European Conference on Artificial Life ECAL 2017

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The sudden transition from egalitarian groups to hierarchical societies that occurred with the origin of agriculture is one of the most striking features of the evolution of human societies. Hierarchy is reflected by the evolution of an asymmetrical distribution of the influence of individuals. Although the benefits to leaders themselves are easily justified, it is still hard to identify the causes for the evolution of exploited followers. However, leaders also play an important role in solving coordination problems, a role which would have been amplified by the increase in group size induced by the advent of agriculture. Can this lead to the emergence of leadership directly from the evolution of traits affecting individual influence in group decisions? This question is yet unanswered mainly because of a lack of a mechanistic model linking individual influence to group productivity. Here we fill this gap by explicitly describing the organization of group by a decision-making process. We have developed an evolutionary model where individuals organize to carry out a collective task that produces surplus resources. These surplus resources then drive a demographic expansion of group size. Our results show that a stable distribution of leaders and followers can emerge from the evolution of traits affecting individual influence in decision making, even in the presence of inequality. In addition, our model highlights the conditions and dynamics underlying the development of hierarchy. In line with theoretical work on the evolutionary origins of leadership, this model contributes to understanding the interactions between individual evolution and social structure.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Emergence of hierarchy from the evolution of individual influence in an agent-based model

Perret¹,

Powers²,

Hart³

2017

Proceedings of the 14th European Conference on Artificial Life ECAL 2017

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“…Un-5. See, e.g., Hayden (2007Hayden ( , 2011 and Hayden and Villeneuvre (2010); for a somewhat different version of the power dynamic, one based on family size, see White (2013). 6.…”

Section: Optimizing Engines: Rationalmentioning

confidence: 99%

Optimizing Engines: Rational Choice in the Neolithic?

Sterelny¹

2015

Philos. of Sci.

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This article has both substantive and methodological goals. Methodologically, it shows that rational choice theory (in its behavioral ecology form) is an especially important tool for guiding research in contexts in which agents appear to be acting against their best interests. The Neolithic transition is one such case, and the article develops a substantive conception of that transition, illustrating the heuristic power of behavioral ecology.

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“…The annual and larger feasts were not simply a matter of food preparation. They also involved a complex web of debts and social relationships that were often imbued with competitive elements (Hayden & Villeneuve 2010).…”

Section: Scheduling Feasting and Ritual Ceremoniesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Astronomy in the Upper Palaeolithic?

Hayden

Villeneuve

2011

CAJ

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Beginning with Alexander Marshack's interpretation of engraved lines as lunar calendrical notations, a number of highly controversial claims have been made concerning the possible astronomical significance of Upper Palaeolithic images. These claims range from lunar notations, to solstice observances in caves, to constellation representations. Given the rare nature of artefacts and images that lend themselves to such interpretations, these claims are generally difficult to evaluate on the basis of archaeological data alone. However, comparative ethnology can provide at least a way of assessing the plausibility of such astronomical claims. If the premise is accepted that at least some of the Upper Palaeolithic groups were complex hunter-gatherers, then astronomical observances, or the lack of them, among ethnographic complex hunter-gatherers can help indicate whether astronomical observations were likely to have taken place among Upper Palaeolithic complex hunter-gatherers. A survey of the literature shows that detailed solstice observances were common among complex hunter-gatherers, often associated with the keeping of calendars and the scheduling of major ceremonies. Moreover, aggrandizers in complex hunter-gatherer societies often form ‘secret societies’ in which esoteric astronomical knowledge is developed. The existence of calendrical notations and secluded meeting places for secret-society members are suggested to be at least plausible interpretations for a number of Upper Palaeolithic caves and images.

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Who Benefits from Complexity? A View from Futuna

Cited by 44 publications

References 65 publications

Emergence of hierarchy from the evolution of individual influence in an agent-based model

Emergence of hierarchy from the evolution of individual influence in an agent-based model

Optimizing Engines: Rational Choice in the Neolithic?

Astronomy in the Upper Palaeolithic?

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