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Comparative methods for studying cultural trait evolution: A simulation study

Publication ,  Journal Article
Nunn, CL; Mulder, MB; Langley, S
Published in: Cross-Cultural Research
May 1, 2006

Anthropologists and archaeologists increasingly use phylogenetic methods to test hypotheses involving cross-cultural traits, but the appropriateness of applying tree-based methods to analyze cultural traits is unclear. The authors developed a spatially explicit computer simulation model to investigate trait evolution in relation to phylogeny and geography and used the simulation to assess the sensitivity of two comparative methods (independent contrasts and partial Mantel tests) to different degrees of horizontal transmission. Simulation results show that (a) the method of independent contrasts is sensitive to even small amounts of horizontal transmission in cultural data sets, (b) Mantel tests fail to cleanly discriminate between datasets characterized by different levels of horizontal and vertical trait transmission, and (c) partial Mantel tests do not produce markedly improved statistical performance when testing for associations among traits (as compared to independent contrasts). The results highlight the need for empirical estimates of horizontal transmission and extinction rates in cross-cultural datasets. © 2006 Sage Publications.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Cross-Cultural Research

DOI

EISSN

1552-3578

ISSN

1069-3971

Publication Date

May 1, 2006

Volume

40

Issue

2

Start / End Page

177 / 209

Related Subject Headings

  • Anthropology
 

Citation

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ICMJE
MLA
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Nunn, C. L., Mulder, M. B., & Langley, S. (2006). Comparative methods for studying cultural trait evolution: A simulation study. Cross-Cultural Research, 40(2), 177–209. https://doi.org/10.1177/1069397105283401
Nunn, C. L., M. B. Mulder, and S. Langley. “Comparative methods for studying cultural trait evolution: A simulation study.” Cross-Cultural Research 40, no. 2 (May 1, 2006): 177–209. https://doi.org/10.1177/1069397105283401.
Nunn CL, Mulder MB, Langley S. Comparative methods for studying cultural trait evolution: A simulation study. Cross-Cultural Research. 2006 May 1;40(2):177–209.
Nunn, C. L., et al. “Comparative methods for studying cultural trait evolution: A simulation study.” Cross-Cultural Research, vol. 40, no. 2, May 2006, pp. 177–209. Scopus, doi:10.1177/1069397105283401.
Nunn CL, Mulder MB, Langley S. Comparative methods for studying cultural trait evolution: A simulation study. Cross-Cultural Research. 2006 May 1;40(2):177–209.
Journal cover image

Published In

Cross-Cultural Research

DOI

EISSN

1552-3578

ISSN

1069-3971

Publication Date

May 1, 2006

Volume

40

Issue

2

Start / End Page

177 / 209

Related Subject Headings

  • Anthropology