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SUMMARY:Survival in the Face of Adversity: Exploring Human Cooperation in 
 the Paleolithic of Kazakhstan through an Agent-Based Model  - María Coto-
 Sarmiento\, School of Culture and Society \, Aarhus University
DTSTART:20230612T150000Z
DTEND:20230612T163000Z
UID:TALK200686@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Simon Carrignon
DESCRIPTION:The dispersal of modern humans during the Pleistocene is a cru
 cial aspect of our evolutionary history\, and Central Asia with its extrem
 e environments offers a unique context to investigate the role of human be
 haviour in dispersals under adverse conditions. However\, sparse archaeolo
 gical data in Central Asia makes reconstructing dispersal routes and chron
 ology challenging. In such cases\, computational models offer a powerful t
 ool for simulating behavioural scenarios in the past.\n\nIn this study\, w
 e introduce an evolutionary Agent-Based Model that explores the effects of
  behavioural adaptations on human dispersals in Central Asia (Kazakhstan) 
 during the Pleistocene\, with a focus on the role of cooperation under cli
 mate constraints. Our model incorporates survey data from archaeological s
 ites in the Altai and Tian Shan regions in Kazakhstan\, collected during f
 ieldwork from 2013-2022.\n\nUsing an evolutionary framework proposed by He
 nrich and Boyd\, the model analyses cooperation strategies based on the ma
 intenance cost of cooperation\, the application of punishment to non-coope
 rators\, and cultural transmission through conformist behaviour.\n\nThese 
 mechanisms are tested within four theoretical climate scenarios based on a
 verage temperatures during glacial and interglacial periods.The selection 
 of these climate temperatures corresponds to the reason for testing and co
 mparing examples of temperatures more representative (extreme and non-extr
 eme) during the Glacial and Interglacial periods.\n\nThe aim of this study
  is to analyse the impact of extreme climate scenarios and how each scenar
 io affects human cooperation depending on the different regions and climat
 es.\n\nTo achieve this\, the model creates a simulated environment where g
 roups of humans search for resources while facing challenging climate cond
 itions and competing for survival.\n\nPreliminary results suggest that a) 
 population size influences the pressure to adopt cooperative or non-cooper
 ative strategy\, b) climate change has an impact to adopt cooperation\, an
 d c) that the degree of cooperation affects survival during extreme climat
 ic conditions.\n\nOur results shed light on the role of cooperation in hom
 inin dispersals in Central Asia and contribute to a wider understanding of
  human evolution. The methods and results of this study are relevant to a 
 broader audience interested in human evolution and can be applied to other
  topics in the study of the human past\n
LOCATION:McDonald Institute Seminar Room\, Department of Archaeology\, Dow
 ning Site
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