The evolutionary causes and consequences of normative conformity

Human culture spreads between people and changes through time, in a process analogous to genetic evolution. Conformity, the tendency to adopt majority culture, is a vital force shaping this cultural evolution process. Conformity is known to be adaptive if it allows individuals to quickly adjust to local conditions. However, conformity is often not about obtaining environmental information, but about fitting in with prevailing social norms. This ‘normative conformity’ has long been recognized in social psychology as a distinct human faculty, and recent physiological and neurological findings confirm this. However, despite its potentially far-reaching impact on patterns of cultural variation, little is known about its adaptive significance.
In this project, I will conduct the first systematic investigation into the evolutionary causes and consequences of normative conformity. Combining evolutionary modelling and decision making experiments, I will illuminate 1) how normative conformity evolves, and 2) how normative conformity impacts cultural variation.
This project will fill a glaring hiatus in our scientific understanding of the human faculties that drive cultural change. Additionally, it addresses current societal concerns about the spread of disinformation within ‘bubbles’ of likeminded people. By advancing insight into the human motivation to conform to in-group norms and beliefs, this project will contribute to fostering healthy fact-based debate in today’s society.