title: On Richerson and Boyd's model of cultural evolution by sexual selection.
abstract: Richerson and Boyd proposed a model of sexual selection in which both the male trait and the female preference are culturally transmitted. We generalize their model by introducing sex-dependent oblique transmission rates and a fairly comprehensive female preference rule. The model differs markedly from the standard genetic models in that the male trait and the female preference are uncorrelated. Hence, there can be no "sexy son" effect to offset the assumed fertility cost to choosy females. Nevertheless, the cultural processes can support a stable polymorphic equilibrium at which the choosy females are present. Also of interest are the cyclical dynamics observed in the neighborhood of the internal equilibrium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan.
authors.forename: Ayako
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Aoki
mesh_terms: D003468:Cultural Evolution; D005260:Female; D018392:Genomic Imprinting; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008957:Models, Genetic; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D012725:Sexual Behavior