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Experimental evidence for the influence of group size on cultural complexity

Author

Listed:
  • Maxime Derex

    (University of Montpellier II, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier Cedex 5, France)

  • Marie-Pauline Beugin

    (University of Montpellier II, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier Cedex 5, France)

  • Bernard Godelle

    (University of Montpellier II, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier Cedex 5, France)

  • Michel Raymond

    (University of Montpellier II, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
    CNRS, Institute of Evolutionary Sciences, CC 065, Place Eugène Bataillon, Montpellier, France)

Abstract

A dual-task computer game played by groups of different sizes is used to show that cultural evolution (the maintenance or improvement of cultural knowledge) strongly depends on population size; in larger groups of players, higher cultural complexity and cultural trait diversity are maintained, and improvements to existing cultural traits are more frequent.

Suggested Citation

  • Maxime Derex & Marie-Pauline Beugin & Bernard Godelle & Michel Raymond, 2013. "Experimental evidence for the influence of group size on cultural complexity," Nature, Nature, vol. 503(7476), pages 389-391, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:503:y:2013:i:7476:d:10.1038_nature12774
    DOI: 10.1038/nature12774
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. E. Reindl & A. L. Gwilliams & L. G. Dean & R. L. Kendal & C. Tennie, 2020. "Skills and motivations underlying children’s cumulative cultural learning: case not closed," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 6(1), pages 1-9, December.
    2. Kobayashi, Yutaka & Ohtsuki, Hisashi & Wakano, Joe Y., 2016. "Population size vs. social connectedness — A gene-culture coevolutionary approach to cumulative cultural evolution," Theoretical Population Biology, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 87-95.
    3. Aoki, Kenichi, 2015. "Modeling abrupt cultural regime shifts during the Palaeolithic and Stone Age," Theoretical Population Biology, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 6-12.
    4. Sally E. Street & Tuomas Eerola & Jeremy R. Kendal, 2022. "The role of population size in folk tune complexity," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 9(1), pages 1-12, December.
    5. Besnik AVDIAJ, 2022. "Size and Decision-Making: a Systematic Literature Review on Groups and Teams," Management and Economics Review, Faculty of Management, Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 7(1), pages 14-32, February.
    6. Samuel Pawel & Leonhard Held, 2022. "The sceptical Bayes factor for the assessment of replication success," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series B, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 84(3), pages 879-911, July.
    7. Colin F. Camerer & Anna Dreber & Felix Holzmeister & Teck-Hua Ho & Jürgen Huber & Magnus Johannesson & Michael Kirchler & Gideon Nave & Brian A. Nosek & Thomas Pfeiffer & Adam Altmejd & Nick Buttrick , 2018. "Evaluating the replicability of social science experiments in Nature and Science between 2010 and 2015," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 2(9), pages 637-644, September.
    8. Alexandre Bluet & François Osiurak & Emanuelle Reynaud, 2024. "Innovation rate and population structure moderate the effect of population size on cumulative technological culture," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-12, December.
    9. Wim Naudé, 2017. "Cities and Entrepreneurs over Time: Like a Horse and Carriage?," Working Papers id:12321, eSocialSciences.
    10. Naudé, Wim, 2017. "Cities and Entrepreneurs over Time: Like a Horse and Carriage?," IZA Discussion Papers 11195, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    11. Nathan Nunn, 2020. "History as Evolution," NBER Working Papers 27706, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

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