Different Behavioral Explanations of the Neolithic Transition from Foraging to Agriculture: A Review

Clement Tisdell and Serge Svizzero ()
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Serge Svizzero: CEMOI - Centre d'Économie et de Management de l'Océan Indien - UR - Université de La Réunion

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Abstract: This article examines how well two parallel behavioral approaches, one in economics and the other in anthropology, explain the economic evolution of Neolithic societies, particularly their transit from foraging to agriculture. Both assume rational optimizing behavior. It is argued that satisficing theories provide a superior explanation of transition (and non-transition) by some hunter-gatherers. Furthermore, many of the concepts associated with neoclassical economics are shown to be inadequate for analyzing the choice problems involved. Moreover, it is argued that all behavioral theories considering the relationship between human behavior and economic evolution need to pay attention to the way that decision-making is embedded in social structures. It is unlikely that a single theory will be able to explain the economic evolution of all societies when social structures and other relevant variables differ between communities.

Keywords: Economic evolution; economic optimization; human behavioral ecology; hunter-gatherers; Neolithic Revolution; satisficing behavior; social embedding (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016-01
Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.univ-reunion.fr/hal-02147758
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Working Paper: Different Behavioral Explanations of the Neolithic Transition from Foraging to Agriculture: A Review (2016)
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