Detecting selection in generalised evolutionary systems

A wide range of processes can be represented as a form of generalised evolutionary dynamics. Biological evolution is the most prominent example, but one also finds many cases of cultural evolution whereby cultural traits are replicated by learning and imitation as opposed to the reproduction of genetic material. A big challenge faced by those seeking quantitative and predictive models of cultural change (e.g., large-scale shifts in linguistic conventions, or the adoption of new technologies) is to distinguish purely random changes from those that are selected. In this short talk, I will first outline the basic mechanisms of drift and selection and how they pop up in a cultural context. Then I will examine critically the extent to which selection is supported in a couple of explicit examples of cultural change by borrowing some methods from genetics and ecology. I will conclude by stating some important challenges that need to be met in order to make further progress in this area.

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