Culture and the Baldwin effect

Abstract

It is believed that the second phase of the Baldwin effect is basically governed by the cost of learning. In this paper we argue that when learning takes place the fitness landscape undergoes a modification that might block the Baldwin effect even if the cost of learning is high. The argument is that learning strategies will bias the evolutionary process towards individuals that genetically acquire better compared to individuals that genetically behave better. Once this process starts the probability of experiencing the Baldwin effect decreases dramatically, whatever the learning cost. A simulation with evolving learning individuals capable of communication is set to show this effect. The set of acquired behaviors (culture) competes with the instinctive one (genes) giving rise to a co-evolutionary effect.