Geographic Barriers and Cultural Convergence in an Agent Based Model

Previous agent based models have shown how, despite the tendency of cultures to converge and cultural traits to spread, differences between social groups can become more - not less - accentuated over time. Local cultural convergence can cause global cultural polarization in relatively short order. In the real world, however, cultural diffusion is inextricably linked to the ability of different cultures to interact and communicate freely across space - something that cannot always be taken for granted. Geographic boundaries (such as mountains and deserts) can limit diffusion and change the process of cultural interaction. Adapting a well-known agent based model of cultural dissemination (Axelrod 1997), this paper examines how physical barriers can influence cultural convergence.