Journal article
Evolution of the violin: The law of effect in action
Journal of experimental psychology. Animal learning and cognition, Vol.42(1), pp.116-122
01/2016
DOI: 10.1037/xan0000086
PMID: 26569015
Abstract
As is true for most other human inventions, the origin of the violin is unknown. What is known is that this popular and versatile instrument has notably changed over the course of several hundred years. At issue is whether those evolutionary changes in the construction of the violin are the result of premeditated, intelligent design or whether they arose through a trial-and-error process. Recent scientific evidence favors the latter account. Our perspective piece puts these recent empirical findings into a comprehensive selectionist framework. According to this view, the many things we do and make--like violins--arise from a process of variation and selection which accords with the law of effect. Contrary to popular opinion, there is neither mystique nor romance in this process; it is as fundamental and ubiquitous as the law of natural selection. As with the law of natural selection in the evolution of organisms, there is staunch resistance to the role of the law of effect in the evolution of human inventions. We conclude our piece by considering several objections to our perspective.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Evolution of the violin: The law of effect in action
- Creators
- Edward A Wasserman - Department of Psychological and Brain SciencesPatrick Cullen - Department of Biology
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of experimental psychology. Animal learning and cognition, Vol.42(1), pp.116-122
- Publisher
- United States
- DOI
- 10.1037/xan0000086
- PMID
- 26569015
- ISSN
- 2329-8456
- eISSN
- 2329-8464
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 01/2016
- Academic Unit
- Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute
- Record Identifier
- 9984070705802771
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