Eco-evo-devo and iterated learning: towards an integrated approach in the light of niche construction
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Eco‑evo‑devo and iterated learning: towards an integrated approach in the light of niche construction José Segovia‑Martín1 · Sergio Balari2 Received: 12 September 2019 / Accepted: 15 July 2020 © The Author(s) 2020
Abstract In this paper we argue that ecological evolutionary developmental biology (ecoevo-devo) accounts of cognitive modernity are compatible with cultural evolution theories of language built upon iterated learning models. Cultural evolution models show that the emergence of near universal properties of language do not require the preexistence of strong specific constraints. Instead, the development of general abilities, unrelated to informational specificity, like the copying of complex signals and sharing of communicative intentions is required for cultural evolution to yield specific properties, such as language structure. We argue that eco-evo-devo provides the appropriate conceptual background to ground an account for the many interconnected genetic, environmental and developmental factors that facilitated the emergence of an organic system able to develop language through the iterated transmission of information. We use the concept of niche construction to connect evolutionary developmental accounts for sensory guided motor capacities and cultural evolution guided by iterated learning models. This integrated theoretical model aims to build bridges between biological and cultural approaches. Keywords Language evolution · Cultural evolution · Extended evolutionary synthesis · Niche construction · Eco-evo-devo
Introduction Cultural evolution and biological evolution share a number of similarities that have long been recognised (e.g. Darwin 1871; Lumsden and Wilson 1981; Boyd and Richerson 1985; Durham 1991). But since cultural inheritance and biological * José Segovia‑Martín jose.segovia@e‑campus.uab.cat 1
Cognitive Science and Language (CCiL), Centre de Lingüística Teòrica, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
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Departament de Filologia Catalana, Centre de Lingüística Teòrica, Facultad de Lletres, Edifici B, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
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J. Segovia‑Martín, S. Balari
inheritance also encompass necessarily different features (e.g. Boyd and Richerson 2005; Tëmkin and Eldredge 2007; Mace and Holden 2005), the study of both disciplines has followed relatively independent paths in terms of the methodologies and approaches used by each. Notwithstanding a number of scholars have argued that studying cultural phenomena within a unifying framework that takes insights from evolutionary biology is potentially useful to integrate separate disciplines (Mesoudi et al. 2006; Charbonneau 2016). Cross-disciplinary approaches have also been defended for the field of language evolution (e.g. Bickerton 2003; Christiansen et al. 2002), although the uniqueness of human languages has undoubtedly delayed the construction of theoretical integrated frameworks incorporating both the findings in co
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