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https://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/34103| Title: | Subjective selection needs socially transmitted goals and culturally evolving problems |
| Authors: | Winters, James Charbonneau, Mathieu |
| Issue Date: | 10-Jul-2026 |
| Publisher: | Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
| Citation: | Winters, J. and Charbonneau, M. (2026) 'Subjective selection needs socially transmitted goals and culturally evolving problems', Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 49, e310. doi: 10.1017/s0140525x25104482. |
| Abstract: | Our commentary aims to enrich Singh’s subjective selection framework in two fundamental ways. First, language is necessary for coordinating on shared instrumental goals. Without it, the explanatory burden rests largely on evolved psychology. Second, goals themselves are culturally constructed, socially transmitted, and cumulatively evolving over time. This co-evolutionary dynamic between problems and solutions exceeds what fixed psychological hierarchies can explain. |
| Description: | Open Peer Commentary. |
| URI: | https://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/34103 |
| DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1017/s0140525x25104482 |
| ISSN: | 0140-525X |
| Appears in Collections: | Department of Psychology Research Papers * |
Files in This Item:
| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FullText.pdf | Copyright © The Author(s), 2026. Published by Cambridge University Press This article has been published in a revised form in Behavioral and Brain Sciences, https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X25104482. This version is free to view and download for private research and study only. Not for re-distribution, re-sale or use in derivative works (see: https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/open-access-policies/open-access-books/green-open-access-policy-for-books). | 72.18 kB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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