How Norm Reinforcement Sustains Cultural Variation
Author Information
Author(s): Manning Mason L., Thompson Bill, Morgan Thomas J. H.
Primary Institution: Arizona State University
Hypothesis
Norm reinforcement, rather than conformity or environmental factors, is predicted to sustain cultural variation.
Conclusion
The study concludes that norm reinforcement is a key mechanism for maintaining arbitrary cultural variation in human populations.
Supporting Evidence
- Norm reinforcement can create historical contingencies in cultural dynamics.
- Payoff-biased transmission can only sustain cultural variation if it is functionally related to environmental factors.
- Conformist transmission struggles to maintain cultural variation in changing environments.
Takeaway
This study shows that people stick to their cultural traditions not just because everyone else is doing it, but because they are rewarded for following the rules of their group.
Methodology
The study uses theoretical models to analyze how norm reinforcement and payoff-biased transmission can sustain cultural variation.
Potential Biases
The study does not specify potential biases in the models used.
Limitations
The models assume normal distributions for behaviors and do not account for individual variation in learning processes.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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