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Niche Construction, Biological Evolution and Cultural Change.

Laland, Kevin N., Odling-Smee, John and Feldman, Marcus W (1999) Niche Construction, Biological Evolution and Cultural Change..

Short Abstract:

We propose a model to map the causal pathways relating biological evolution to cultural change. Building on conventional evolutionary theory, the model emphasises the capacity of organisms to modify sources of natural selection in their environment (niche construction); the evolutionary dynamic can also be broadened to incorporate ontogenetic and cultural processes, with phenotypes playing a much more active role in evolution. The model sheds light on hominid evolution, the evolution of culture, altruism and cooperation. Culture amplifies the capacity of human beings to modify sources of natural selection in their environments to the point where that capacity raises some new questions about the processes of human adaptation.

Long Abstract:

We propose a model to map the causal pathways relating biological evolution to cultural change. Building on conventional evolutionary theory, the model emphasises the capacity of organisms to modify sources of natural selection in their environment (niche construction); the evolutionary dynamic can also be broadened to incorporate ontogenetic and cultural processes, with phenotypes playing a much more active role in evolution. The model sheds light on hominid evolution, the evolution of culture, altruism and cooperation. Culture amplifies the capacity of human beings to modify sources of natural selection in their environments to the point where that capacity raises some new questions about the processes of human adaptation.

Keywords:	Niche construction, gene-culture coevolution, human evolution, evolutionary psychology, sociobiology, adaptation.
Subjects:	Biology: Evolution Biology: Sociobiology Psychology: Evolutionary Psychology Psychology: Social Psychology
ID code:	bbs00000528
Deposited by:	Kevin Laland on 02 May 2001