Emergence of kinship structures and descent systems: multi-level evolutionary simulation and empirical data analysis

Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences • Vol/Iss. 289(1969) • Royal Society • United Kingdom • Published In • Pages: 1-10 •
By Itao, Kenji, Kaneko, Kunihiko

Abstract

In many nonindustrial socieites, kinship systems are fundamental components for providing certain rules, such as marrrisge and descent, by categorizing them to cultural groups/clans. This study investigates how kinship structures evolve by proposing an agent-based model with empirical cross-cultural analyses. The model simulates competition among societies composed of multiple families, where cultural traits, mate preferences, and patterns of cooperation evolve over successive generations through inheritance and mutation. The simulations showcase the distinct kinship structures, including dual organization, generalized and restricted exchange systems, and patrilineal, matrilineal, and double descent systems, that emerge under these different combinations of cooperative demands and mating competition. After excluding 40 societies that have clan exogamy, the authors then tested these theoretical predictions using data from the Standard Cross-Cultural Sample (SCCS), finding empirical support for the relationships predicted by the model.

Samples

Sample Used Coded Data Comment
Standard Cross Cultural Sample (SCCS)Other ResearchersUsed to test whether the patterns predicted by the simulations are observed in real societies.
Agent-based evolutionary modelResearcher's ownUsed to examine how kinship systems evolve under different ecological and social conditions and to generate testable predictions.

Hypotheses (4)

HypothesisSupported
Increased intergroup competition is positively associated with the evolution of unilineal descent systems.Supported
Stronger cooperation among kin groups is positively associated with the emergence of dual organization and clan-based social structures.Supported
Mate competition influences the evolution of marriage exchange systems.Supported
Different ecological and social conditions produce different kinship structures.Supported
Documents and Hypotheses Filed By: jonathan.zhang