On Modeling the Evolution of Hunter‐Gatherer Decision‐Making Systems

Abstract

Models of both primate and hunter‐gatherer decision‐making systems are developed and their relative abilities potentially to detect certain classes of spatial distributions within a standardized environment are compared. It is demonstrated that in situations where language facilitates the pooling of information between individuals within a hunter‐gatherer group, the group minimally need only to pool information with one central decision maker in order potentially to recognize all possible spatial distributions within a limited environment. On this basis alone, we would theoretically expect the presence of one‐leader groups to be a fairly ubiquitous phenomenon among hunter‐gatherers. 1978 The Ohio State University