% pubman genre = article
@article{item_3380178,
title = {{What is cultural evolution anyway?}},
author = {Micheletti, Alberto J. C. and Brandl, Eva and Mace, Ruth},
language = {eng},
issn = {1045-2249; 1465-7279},
doi = {10.1093/beheco/arac011},
year = {2022},
date = {2022},
abstract = {{The term cultural evolution has become popular in the evolutionary human sciences, but it is often unclear what is meant by it. This {\textless}br{\textgreater}{\textless}br{\textgreater}{\textless}br{\textgreater}is generating confusion and misconceptions that are hindering progress in the field. These include the claim that behavioral ecology {\textless}br{\textgreater}{\textless}br{\textgreater}{\textless}br{\textgreater}disregards culture. We argue that these misunderstandings are caused by the unhelpful use of term cultural evolution to identify both a {\textless}br{\textgreater}{\textless}br{\textgreater}{\textless}br{\textgreater}phenomenon{\textemdash}culture changing through time{\textemdash}and a theory to explain it{\textemdash}the potential role of cultural transmission biases in driving {\textless}br{\textgreater}{\textless}br{\textgreater}{\textless}br{\textgreater}this change. We illustrate this point by considering recently published influential studies and opinion pieces. If we are to avoid confu-{\textless}br{\textgreater}{\textless}br{\textgreater}{\textless}br{\textgreater}sion, the term cultural evolution is best reserved to identify the phenomenon of cultural change. This helps clarify that human behav-{\textless}br{\textgreater}{\textless}br{\textgreater}{\textless}br{\textgreater}ioral ecologists do not disregard culture, but instead have studied its evolution from the very beginning. Different approaches to the {\textless}br{\textgreater}{\textless}br{\textgreater}{\textless}br{\textgreater}study of human behavior can coexist and complement each other in the framework offered by Tinbergen{\textquoteright}s four evolutionary questions. {\textless}br{\textgreater}{\textless}br{\textgreater}{\textless}br{\textgreater}Clarifying key terms is crucial to achieve this synthesis.}},
journal = {{Behavioral Ecology}},
volume = {33},
number = {4},
pages = {667--669},
}