Cultural accumulation locks groups into local optima because traits are integrated
Evidence
The problem with this hypothesis is that there are many differences between groups that are not plausibly explained as alternative, locally optimal solutions to adaptive problems. The logic of multiple local optima is sound and may, at least partially, explain why members of a group maintain a certain cultural variation when deviations from that variant cause the deviant individual to perform worse than nondeviants. However, multiple local optima cannot explain the maintenance of a variant over more adaptive variants when there is a plausible evolutionary pathway linking the two traits. — Joe Henrich and Robert Boyd, The Evolution of Conformist…, 115 (
#qualifies-own, via linked claim)
Categorization
- XREF: connects to: Path-dependent boat designs locked Chinese and European shipwrights onto separate trajectories — Joe Henrich and Robert Boyd, The Evolution of Conformist…, 114; Local-optima logic fails where a stepwise-improvement pathway exists between variants — Joe Henrich and Robert Boyd, The Evolution of Conformist…, 115; Cultural-structural reproduction limits social speed more than biology does. — Hartmut Rosa, Social Acceleration: A New Theory of…, 273
Related
- Local-optima logic fails where a stepwise-improvement pathway exists between variants (similarity 0.92)
- Cultural variation can persist without social learning through locally complementary solution sets. (similarity 0.82)
- Cultural adaptation is path-dependent and condemned to local optima (similarity 0.81)
- Cultural-structural reproduction limits social speed more than biology does. (similarity 0.80)