This year marks the 50th anniversary of the pioneering field of Quantitative Cultural Evolution, a discipline that studies how human culture and evolution are intertwined. The past, present, and future of this field is explored in a new PNAS special feature entitled ‘Half a Century of Quantitative Cultural Evolution’, co-organized by Laurel Fogarty (MPI-EVA), Nicole Creanza (Vanderbilt University), Anne Kandler (MPI-EVA), and Marcus W. Feldman (Stanford University). The feature emphasizes that culture is as fundamental to human evolution as biology, an insight guided by the early evolutionary thinkers and later formalized by Stanford geneticists Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza and Marcus W. Feldman.

The fruitful collaboration between Cavalli-Sforza and Feldman led to the first mathematical models of cultural evolution, an achievement that had a profound impact on the understanding and study of human evolution. "Their work demonstrated that the inheritance of cultural traits could ultimately shape human phenotypes. This interaction between genes and culture has been essential in driving forward our understanding of human evolution," says Laurel Fogarty.

In 1973, Cavalli-Sforza and Feldman published two models of cultural evolution that emphasized the differential transmission of cultural information. With the delineation of vertical and oblique transmission, the intricate relationships among relatives and the balance of genetic and cultural influence were better understood. "These models highlighted the complex dynamics of cultural and genetic change and opened up a new area of inquiry in human evolution," says Nicole Creanza.

Broad implications for other areas of study

The special feature also highlights the contributions of scholars such as anthropologist Robert Boyd and human ecologist Peter J. Richerson, whose work has enriched the theoretical framework of cultural evolution. As a tribute, the upcoming anniversary feature will also include a series of articles focusing on the far-reaching implications of cultural evolution for a variety of disciplines, including anthropology, archaeology, social issues, language, social learning in nonhuman animals, and laboratory research.

A collection of articles from the special feature outlines the expansion and development of the field of quantitative cultural evolution since 1973.

• One study examined the transmission and preservation of cultural skills among hunter-gatherers in the Congo Basin and other regions. This was based on an analysis of published interviews and observational data, which highlighted the role of parents, relatives and unrelated individuals in the education of children and adolescents. (Hewlett et al.)
• Another study used genetic, linguistic, and ethnographic data from 130 global populations to examine whether language is predominantly transmitted maternally or paternally. Sex-biased descent and post-marital residence practices appeared to influence language transmission in some regions, particularly in Africa. (Pichkar et al.)
• One study mathematically modeled the role of cultural innovations and practices in unintentionally driving pathogen emergence. It highlighted the importance of adoption rates and biological fitness consequences of cultural practices. The study found that disease emergence is often unpredictable and unavoidable due to these factors. (Pooladvand et al.)
• In another study, field studies with two groups of wild, tool-using bearded capuchins (Sapajus libidinosus) in Brazil showed that social learning of a foraging task was influenced by tolerance of fellow capuchins and a bias toward observing skilled males. These findings may shed light on the evolution of cultural abilities in primates. (Galheigo Coelho et al.)

The collection of articles included in the special feature provides a comprehensive view of the advancements and challenges in the study of quantitative cultural evolution.

Looking into the future

The next 50 years of quantitative cultural evolution research seem promising, with progressive mathematical insights, improved statistical analysis, and advances in computational power and data availability. "After a strong focus on quantitative explorations of cultural processes over the past five decades, simulation modeling and 'backward in time' methods are expected to play a key role in bridging theory and data in cultural evolution in the future," predicts Anne Kandler.

The celebration of the past fifty years marks not only the success and growth of quantitative studies of cultural evolution, but also the exciting journey ahead. With continued advances in theory and methods, the next fifty years will be instrumental in deepening our understanding of culture and creating a more coherent narrative of human evolution.
 

Contact:

Dr. Laurel Fogarty
Group Leader, Theory in Cultural Evolution (TICE) Lab
Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig
laurel_fogarty@[>>> Please remove the text! <<<]eva.mpg.de

Sandra Jacob
Press Officer
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig
+49 341 3550-122
jacob@[>>> Please remove the text! <<<]eva.mpg.de