A demographic theory of similarity-biased social learning
Alejandro Pérez Velilla, Paul E. Smaldino · 2026
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Description
Pérez Velilla and Smaldino build a mathematical theory in this 2026 paper about a familiar instinct: we preferentially copy people who seem like us. Their evolutionary model asks when that similarity bias helps or hurts. Advice from someone facing different circumstances may not transfer. Identity markers also vary in how informative they really are.
The analysis shows learners evolve flexible biases. They favor similar models when in-group knowledge is adaptive. They favor dissimilar ones when the in-group's habits are failing. This adaptiveness can keep social learning worthwhile. It holds even when copying costs more than learning alone. A threshold result also emerges: a minimum supply of reliable cultural information is required before social learning spreads at all. The framework offers a demographic explanation for patterns of cultural segregation and assimilation in diverse populations.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Alejandro Pérez Velilla, Paul E. Smaldino |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 62 KB |
| LICENSE | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |