Cultural and genetic evolution began mutually reinforcing each other around 2 million years ago

Evidence

The central argument in this book is that relatively early in our species’ evolutionary history, perhaps around the origins of our genus (Homo ) about 2 million years ago, we first crossed this evolutionary Rubicon, at which point cultural evolution became the primary driver of our species’ genetic evolution . This interaction between cultural and genetic evolution generated a process that can be described as autocatalytic , meaning that it produces the fuel that propels it. Once cultural information began to accumulate and produce cultural adaptations, the main selection pressure on genes revolved around improving our psychological abilities to acquire, store, process, and organize the array of fitness-enhancing skills and practices that became increasingly available in the minds of the others in one’s group. As genetic evolution improved our brains and abilities for learning from others, cultural evolution spontaneously generated more and better cultural adaptations, which kept the pressure on for brains that were better at acquiring and storing this cultural information. This process will continue until halted by an external constraint. — Joseph Henrich, The Secret of Our Success, 203

Categorization

• DEFINE: Defines the autocatalytic gene-culture coevolution process that anchors the book’s whole argument.
• XREF: connects to: Cultural evolution has been the central driver of human genetic evolution for eons. — Joseph Henrich, The Secret of Our Success: How Culture…, 1015; Culture has redirected human genetic evolution since Homo erectus, not only recently. — Joseph Henrich, The Secret of Our Success: How Culture…, 1051; Cumulative culture began over a million years ago. — Joseph Henrich, The Secret of Our Success: How Culture…, 43 (+3 more)

Broader Connections

• Culture has redirected human genetic evolution since Homo erectus, not only recently. #corroborates (0.82) — Joseph Henrich, The Secret of Our Success, 1051
• Cumulative culture began over a million years ago. #corroborates (0.80) — Joseph Henrich, The Secret of Our Success, 43
• Cultural evolution has been the central driver of human genetic evolution for eons. #corroborates (0.78) — Joseph Henrich, The Secret of Our Success, 1015
• Norms disciplined by communal punishment drove genetic evolution toward human docility. #exemplifies (0.72) — Joseph Henrich, The Secret of Our Success, 49