Date of Award
2018
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Graduate Group
Biology
First Advisor
Joshua B. Plotkin
Second Advisor
Paul D. Sniegowski
Abstract
Analogies between biological and cultural evolution date back to Darwin, yet the analogies have remained loose. Neutral evolution, known to be important in biology, has been
proposed as a null model for cultural change, but has not developed into tests for selection on cultural features. Using inference in timeseries of alternative word forms and
grammatical constructions, I demonstrate a cultural analog of natural selection on a background of netural evolution. Social evolution, on the other hand, implies selection in a
social environment and therefore cannot be described with a neutral model. I propose a
model of pure frequency-dependent selection as a generic null model for social evolution,
and use the model to illustrate diverse effects of social selection. I derive a non-linear
form of frequency-dependent selection from a mechanistic model of mate choice and show
unintuitive consequences for evolutionary dynamics. I infer complex forms of frequency
dependent selection—including positive and negative frequency-dependent selection at different frequencies—from data regarding the copying of baby names, the fashions of dog
breeds, and the use of rare languages, and discuss the implications for cultural diversity.
Recommended Citation
Newberry, Mitchell, "Null Models For Cultural And Social Evolution" (2018). Publicly Accessible Penn Dissertations. 2971.
https://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations/2971