| Title: |
Random drift and culture change. |
| Authors: |
R. Alexander Bentley1, Matthew W. Hahn2, Stephen J. Shennan1 |
| Source: |
Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. Jul2004, Vol. 271 Issue 1547, p1443-1450. 8p. |
| Subject Terms: |
*CULTURE, *PATENTS, *POTTERY, *INTELLECTUAL property |
| Abstract: |
We show that the frequency distributions of cultural variants, in three different real-world examples--first names, archaeological pottery and applications for technology patents--follow power laws that can be explained by a simple model of random drift. We conclude that cultural and economic choices often reflect a decision process that is value-neutral; this result has far-reaching testable implications for social-science research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: |
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