Abstract
Sociobiological theory predicts that humans should not cooperate with large groups of unrelated individuals. This prediction is based on genetic models that show that selection acting on variation between large unrelated groups will generally be much weaker than selection acting on variation between individuals. Recently, several authors have presented related models of human evolution that integrate cultural and genetic transmission of behavior. We show that in such models group selection is potentially a strong force. Data on ethnocentrism is examined in the context of these results.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 325-351 |
| Number of pages | 27 |
| Journal | Human Ecology |
| Volume | 10 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Sep 1982 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Keywords
- altruism
- cultural inheritance
- dual inheritance
- group selection
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Anthropology
- Sociology and Political Science
- Environmental Science (miscellaneous)
Cite this
Cultural transmission and the evolution of cooperative behavior. / Boyd, Robert; Richerson, Peter J.
In: Human Ecology, Vol. 10, No. 3, 09.1982, p. 325-351.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Cultural transmission and the evolution of cooperative behavior
AU - Boyd, Robert
AU - Richerson, Peter J.
PY - 1982/9
Y1 - 1982/9
N2 - Sociobiological theory predicts that humans should not cooperate with large groups of unrelated individuals. This prediction is based on genetic models that show that selection acting on variation between large unrelated groups will generally be much weaker than selection acting on variation between individuals. Recently, several authors have presented related models of human evolution that integrate cultural and genetic transmission of behavior. We show that in such models group selection is potentially a strong force. Data on ethnocentrism is examined in the context of these results.
AB - Sociobiological theory predicts that humans should not cooperate with large groups of unrelated individuals. This prediction is based on genetic models that show that selection acting on variation between large unrelated groups will generally be much weaker than selection acting on variation between individuals. Recently, several authors have presented related models of human evolution that integrate cultural and genetic transmission of behavior. We show that in such models group selection is potentially a strong force. Data on ethnocentrism is examined in the context of these results.
KW - altruism
KW - cultural inheritance
KW - dual inheritance
KW - group selection
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0020470415&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0020470415&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/BF01531189
DO - 10.1007/BF01531189
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0020470415
VL - 10
SP - 325
EP - 351
JO - Human Ecology
JF - Human Ecology
SN - 0300-7839
IS - 3
ER -