Applying invasion criterion to cultural evolution.

Area of Science:

• Evolutionary Anthropology
• Community Ecology
• Social Learning Theory

Background:

• Cultural diversity is crucial but its maintenance mechanisms are poorly understood.
• Previous research focused on innovation's role, neglecting factors preserving existing diversity.
• The invasion criterion from ecology offers a potential framework for analyzing cultural trait coexistence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To test the predictive power of the invasion criterion for maintaining cultural diversity.
• To investigate how different social learning biases affect cultural trait coexistence.
• To explore the impact of the number of cultural models on diversity maintenance.

Main Methods:

• Utilized mathematical modeling and individual-based simulations.
• Applied the invasion criterion, originally for species coexistence, to cultural dynamics.
• Simulated various social learning biases including content, conformity, anticonformity, prestige, success, and similarity biases.

Main Results:

• The invasion criterion reliably predicted cultural trait coexistence under content, conformity, and anticonformity biases.
• Predictive power decreased with prestige and success biases.
• Similarity-biased learning reduced predictability due to violated rarity assumptions.
• Increasing the number of cultural models generally prolonged trait coexistence.

Conclusions:

• The invasion criterion provides a valuable quantitative tool for predicting cultural coexistence.
• Predictability varies significantly across different social learning transmission biases.
• Modifications to the invasion criterion may be needed for enhanced predictability in cultural dynamics.
• Findings offer insights into fostering innovation and preserving cultural diversity.