Cultural diversity dynamics

In this work, we are exploring mechanisms that may contribute to cultural dynamics and cultural diversity. To this end, we are experimenting with an extended Axelrod model that uses a Moore neighborhood and heterogeneous sets of cultural features per agent. We are gradually introducing a number of psychologically realistic, basic and more advanced, conceptual models of cultural affinity perception and imitation and show that in many cases the population stabilizes to multi-cultural configurations. We also demonstrate the transitive advantage of two other mechanisms, attraction and spatial migration. In sum, our results show that a mix of initially differentially evolved or developed agents will not converge to monoculture, and that this is due to intrinsic psychological factors that are key players in behavioral change.