Identifying Culture As Cause: Challenges and Opportunities

Overview

Journal Evol Hum Sci

Publisher Cambridge University Press

Specialty Biology

Date 2024 Feb 21

PMID 38380245

Authors

Sirio Lonati

Rafael Lalive

Charles Efferson

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Causal inference lies at the core of many scientific endeavours. Yet answering causal questions is challenging, especially when studying culture as a causal force. Against this backdrop, this paper reviews research designs and statistical tools that can be used - together with strong theory and knowledge about the context of study - to identify the causal impact of culture on outcomes of interest. We especially discuss how overlooked strategies in cultural evolutionary studies can allow one to approximate an ideal experiment wherein culture is randomly assigned to individuals or entire groups (instrumental variables, regression discontinuity design, and epidemiological approach). In doing so, we also review the potential outcome framework as a tool to engage in causal reasoning in the cultural evolutionary field.

Citing Articles

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Schief M, Vogt S, Churilova E, Efferson C Evol Hum Sci. 2024; 6:e19.

PMID: 38616986 PMC: 11016359. DOI: 10.1017/ehs.2024.9.

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