Evolution in leaps: The punctuated accumulation and loss of cultural innovations

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Abstract
Significance: The archaeological record suggests that cultural traits, as manifested in the tool repertoire, can accumulate exponentially, that technology can appear in bursts after long periods of stasis, and that dramatic cultural losses can occur. We introduce a model that accounts for this range of observations by considering a multifaceted creative process of innovation, accounting for the possibility that certain traits facilitate the invention of related traits. Further, we determine that differential distribution of tool-related knowledge, typically ignored in models, can dramatically affect the dynamics of cultural evolution, suggesting the concept of an effective cultural population size. Finally, we demonstrate that a fluctuating environment can lead to large-scale cultural losses and select for generalist tools that are useful in multiple conditions.
Funding Information
  • John Templeton Foundation (47981)

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