The adaptive nature of culture. A cross-cultural analysis of the returns of local environmental knowledge in three indigenous societies.
Curr Anthropol
; 57(6): 761-784, 2016 Dec.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-28104924
Researchers have argued that the behavioral adaptations that explain the success of our species are partially cultural, i.e., cumulative and socially transmitted. Thus, understanding the adaptive nature of culture is crucial to understand human evolution. We use a cross-cultural framework and empirical data purposely collected to test whether culturally transmitted and individually appropriated knowledge provides individual returns in terms of hunting yields and health and, by extension, to nutritional status, a proxy for individual adaptive success. Data were collected in three subsistence-oriented societies: the Tsimane' (Amazon), the Baka (Congo Basin), and the Punan (Borneo). Results suggest that variations in individual levels of local environmental knowledge relate to individual hunting returns and to self-reported health, but not to nutritional status. We argue that this paradox can be explained through the prevalence of sharing: individuals achieving higher returns to their knowledge transfer them to the rest of the population, which explains the lack of association between knowledge and nutritional status. The finding is in consonance with previous research highlighting the importance of cultural traits favoring group success, but pushes it forward by elucidating the mechanisms through which individual and group level adaptive forces interact.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Comparación Transcultural
/
Conocimiento
/
Evolución Cultural
/
Grupos de Población
Tipo de estudio:
Risk_factors_studies
Aspecto:
Determinantes_sociais_saude
Límite:
Humans
País/Región como asunto:
Africa
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Curr Anthropol
Año:
2016
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
España
Pais de publicación:
Estados Unidos