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Subjective selection as an outcome of natural selection

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2026

Pascal Boyer Open the ORCID record for Pascal Boyer [Opens in a new window]
Pascal Boyer*
Affiliation:
Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA pboyer@wustl.edu
*
*Corresponding author.
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Abstract

A merit of the subjective selection framework is to focus on individuals’ motivations in shaping cultural trends. To gain explanatory strength, the model should be completed with a proper assessment of the role of natural selection. In contrast to some formulations in the target article, natural selection shapes not just organisms’ overall goals in “selecting” cultural materials but also the detailed mechanisms whereby they assess and produce cultural material.

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Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 49 , 2026 , e290
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2026. Published by Cambridge University Press

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