Gene–culture coevolution

Le résumé fourni par la source

Abstract This chapter describes the sub-field of Gene–Culture Coevolution. After briefly setting out the history of the sub-field, the chapter describes three key concepts of this approach, namely comparisons between the rates of genetic and cultural evolution, niche construction theory, and constructing Gene–Culture Coevolution models. It then describes examples of Gene–Culture Coevolution research through three case studies on the topics of the coevolution of dairy farming and lactose tolerance, human cooperation and prosociality, and the heritability of cognitive and behavioural traits. A critical evaluation section then covers three discussion topics: the question of whether culture comes in clean, discrete packages; whether the human brain is subject to gene–culture coevolution; and idea that the mind is comprised of ‘cognitive gadgets’. The chapter describes the challenges of undertaking Gene–Culture Coevolution research, including the need for cross-disciplinary collaborations, and proposes that this approach provides the most comprehensive understanding of human evolution.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.