Iterated Learning Experiments

This chapter examines iterated learning experiments as a methodological approach to study language evolution. It discusses the design and results of experiments where artificial languages are transmitted across successive generations of learners. These studies specifically investigate how cognitive biases and environmental constraints affect linguistic structures. Key observations include the emergence of compositionality, systematic adaptations to reduce transmission errors, and the balance between linguistic simplicity and expressivity. The chapter emphasizes the relevance of these findings to theories of cultural evolution, and it highlights how language adapts and transforms over time. For future research directions, it proposes the integration of computational models and the exploration of new communication technologies to further advance our understanding of language evolution. This approach will not only deepen insights into linguistic changes, but it will also bridge experimental findings with evolutionary linguistics.