What term describes cumulative culture characterized by progressive improvements over time?

What term describes cumulative culture characterized by progressive improvements over time?

• A. Ratchet effect
• B. Evolutionary drift
• C. Cultural diffusion
• D. Social facilitation

Answer: (A)

The ratchet effect captures cumulative culture that improves progressively over time. Innovations accumulate across generations, with each new improvement built on what came before, and losses or reversals are unlikely. This creates a directional, stepwise trajectory where culture becomes more complex or efficient as people refine existing practices. Evolutionary drift is random change in frequencies (often genetic) with no directional push toward improvement. Cultural diffusion describes how ideas spread between groups, not the internal, time-ordered accumulation within a lineage. Social facilitation refers to improved performance when others are present, not to long-term, cumulative improvements in culture.

The ratchet effect captures cumulative culture that improves progressively over time. Innovations accumulate across generations, with each new improvement built on what came before, and losses or reversals are unlikely. This creates a directional, stepwise trajectory where culture becomes more complex or efficient as people refine existing practices.

Evolutionary drift is random change in frequencies (often genetic) with no directional push toward improvement. Cultural diffusion describes how ideas spread between groups, not the internal, time-ordered accumulation within a lineage. Social facilitation refers to improved performance when others are present, not to long-term, cumulative improvements in culture.