{"id":{"repo_id":"penn","oai_identifier":"oai:repository.upenn.edu:20.500.14332/29944"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/penn/oai:repository.upenn.edu:20.500.14332/29944","repository":{"repo_id":"penn","name":"University of Pennsylvania","base_url":"https://repository.upenn.edu/server/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Null Models For Cultural And Social Evolution","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.","abstract_html":"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.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Newberry, Mitchell"],"institution":null,"degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Joshua B. Plotkin","Paul D. Sniegowski"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2018,"date_issued":"2018","date_published":"2018","updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:46:44Z","subjects":[],"languages":["en"],"rights":["Mitchell Newberry"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://repository.upenn.edu/handle/20.500.14332/29944","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Joshua B. Plotkin","Paul D. 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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."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]},{"key":"dc:format.mimetype","label":"Dc Format Mimetype","values":["application/pdf"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Null Models For Cultural And Social Evolution"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Joshua B. Plotkin","Paul D. Sniegowski"],"dc:creator":["Newberry, Mitchell"],"dc:date":["2023-05-17T21:04:38.000"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2023-05-22T17:22:35Z"],"dc:date.available":["2001-01-01T00:00:00Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2018"],"dc:description.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."],"dc:description.degree":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"],"dc:format.mimetype":["application/pdf"],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://repository.upenn.edu/handle/20.500.14332/29944"],"dc:language":["en"],"dc:rights":["Mitchell Newberry"],"dc:title":["Null Models For Cultural And Social Evolution"],"dc:type":["Dissertation/Thesis"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:46:44Z"}