A theory of supply-driven evolution for cultural evolution

Abstract

A process akin to biological evolution is one of the most promising candidates today for producing a general theory of cultural evolution. Current understanding of this process focuses on both drift as well as the selection of cultural variation as the primary vehicles of cultural change. Here, I show that natural selection can produce cultural change in the direction of the generation of cultural variation. I show how this mechanism can result in long-term cultural trends and how it adds to known mechanisms. I present examples to show how this theory is compatible with documented cultural and historical change.

Keywords:

• cultural evolution
• supply driven evolution
• cultural innovation
• natural selection
• long-term evolution
• evolutionary trends

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Dr Frédéric Guichard and Dr André Costopoulos for crucial guidance. I am grateful to all the members of the Comparch lab for long discussions and insights.