Cultural evolution is the process by which cultural traits - such as beliefs, customs, practices, languages, technologies, and social institutions - change through time and across generations, allowing societies to adapt to variations in their environment. It is distinct from biological evolution because it relies upon the transmission of learned behaviors and does not involve a genetic component. Cultural evolution is a product of past influences, ecological influences, and randomness and is always ongoing, with countless intersecting influences that shape culture and its evolution.

See also: evolution, emergence, causality, crypto, game theory