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Sexual selection with a culturally transmitted mating preference

K N Laland1

  • 1Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley 94720.

Theoretical Population Biology
|February 1, 1994
PubMed
Summary
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Culturally transmitted mating preferences can drive sexual selection by influencing genetically inherited traits. This process can lead to the fixation of less viable traits, impacting human evolution.

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Behavioral genetics
  • Cultural evolution

Background:

  • Sexual selection is a key evolutionary mechanism.
  • Cultural transmission of mating preferences is prevalent in humans.
  • The interplay between cultural and genetic inheritance in sexual selection is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To model the evolutionary dynamics of culturally transmitted mating preferences and genetically transmitted traits.
  • To investigate how cultural preferences can influence the selection of genetic traits.
  • To assess the potential role of this interaction in human evolution.

Main Methods:

  • Development of haploid and diploid two-locus models of sexual selection.
  • Mathematical modeling of mating preferences transmitted culturally and traits transmitted genetically.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Simulations to analyze the fixation dynamics of traits under varying transmission biases.

    • Main Results:

    • Culturally transmitted preferences can lead to neutrally stable equilibria for trait and preference frequencies.
    • Less viable genetic traits can reach fixation due to strong cultural preference biases.
    • Fixation of rare, less viable traits can occur within 50 generations under strong cultural transmission.

    Conclusions:

    • Cultural transmission of mating preferences can significantly impact genetic trait evolution.
    • This mechanism provides a potential explanation for the role of cultural influences in human evolution.
    • The findings are robust for both biparental and maternally inherited preferences.