Unifying Cultural Analysis: An Evolutionary/Selectionist Approach

In Selection by Consequences, Skinner (1981) described a causal model to explain natural selection, shaping of individual behavior and the evolution of cultures. This causal model is at the core of Behavior Analysis and may serve as a point of departure for communication with other fields of study. At the individual level, knowledge produced by Behavior Analysis has led to effective technology of intervention and greatly improving the methodology of interventions in various areas such as education, organizations and clinical settings. However, methods focusing on individuals, families and small groups have limited success when applied to large-scale issues (Biglan, 1995). We are still challenged on how to effectively influence social issues generated by large populations, such as pollution, crime control, global warming, drug abuse, academic failure. Fortunately, in the last 40 years a variety of fields of study (e.g. Behavior Analysis, Behavioral Economics, Evolutionary Biology) have worked to produce and improve a technology of intervention in the third level of analysis (cultural). In this paper, we will discuss how an evolutionary/selectionist perspective may unify cultural analysis from different perspectives.