Dryad Home > Main > Dryad Data Packages > View Item

Data from: Directional cultural change by modification and replacement of memes

When using this data, please cite the original article:

Cardoso GC, Atwell JW (2010) Directional cultural change by modification and replacement of memes. Evolution 65(1): 295-300. doi:10.1111/j.1558-5646.2010.01102.x

Additionally, please cite the Dryad data package:

Cardoso GC, Atwell JW (2010) Data from: Directional cultural change by modification and replacement of memes. Dryad Digital Repository. doi:10.5061/dryad.1790
Cite | Share
Download the data package citation in the following formats:
   RIS (compatible with EndNote, Reference Manager, ProCite, RefWorks)
   BibTex (compatible with BibDesk, LaTeX)
Dryad Package Identifier doi:10.5061/dryad.1790    100 views  
Abstract Evolutionary approaches to culture remain contentious. A source of contention is that cultural mutation may be substantial and, if it drives cultural change, then current evolutionary models are not adequate. But we lack studies quantifying the contribution of mutations to directional cultural change. We estimated the contribution of one type of cultural mutations – modification of memes - to directional cultural change using an amenable study system: learned birdsongs in a species that recently entered an urban habitat. Many songbirds have higher minimum song frequency in cities, to alleviate masking by low-frequency noise. We estimated that the input of meme modifications in an urban songbird population explains about half the extent of the population divergence in song frequency. This contribution of cultural mutations is large, but insufficient to explain the entire population divergence. The remaining divergence is due to selection of memes or creation of new memes. We conclude that the input of cultural mutations can be quantitatively important, unlike in genetic evolution, and that it operates together with other mechanisms of cultural evolution. For this and other traits where the input of cultural mutations might be important, quantitative studies of cultural mutation are necessary to calibrate realistic models of cultural evolution.
Keywords Cultural evolution, Behavior,
Date Deposited 2010-07-21T19:40:01Z
Scientific Names Junco hyemalis
Show Full Metadata
Measurements of dark-eyed junco songs    72 views   31 downloads View File Details
Measurements of minimum song frequency and others, averaged for each bird and song type. From field recordings.
Download: CardosoAtwell-dataset.xls ( 80.38Kb )
To the extent possible under law, the authors have waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to this data.  


My Account

Browse

Information