Human cultures are vibrant tapestries of values, beliefs, and practices, each unique yet bound by a shared impulse to endure across generations. In their 2025 paper published in Psychological Review, Cory Cobb, Ph.D., and colleagues propose the cultural continuity hypothesis, asserting that humans are universally motivated to preserve key aspects of their heritage cultures across time and space. This drive, they argue, is not merely a nostalgic attachment but a fundamental psychological need that fosters identity, belonging, and psychosocial well-being. By integrating evidence from sociology, psychology, and anthropology, the hypothesis illuminates why cultural preservation is a near-universal practice and how it shapes human behaviour. I will discuss the cultural continuity hypothesis, evaluates its supporting arguments, and offers additional perspectives to bolster its claims, while also considering areas for further exploration.
At its heart, the cultural continuity hypothesis posits that heritage culture retention is a psychological motivation driving a wide array of human behaviours. Cobb and colleagues define cultural continuity as the "purposeful preservation of salient features of one's heritage culture across time," emphasising its functional and adaptive role. Much like individuals craft internal narratives to make sense of their lives, cultures provide collective narratives that anchor group identity and cohesion. The hypothesis suggests that this need to preserve cultural elements, whether language, rituals, or values, is universal, observable across diverse populations, and evident from early developmental stages.
The researchers draw on extensive interdisciplinary literature to support this claim. For instance, studies show that infants exhibit preferences for familiar faces, languages, and music associated with their cultural environments, suggesting an innate predisposition toward cultural continuity. Customs and rituals, from religious ceremonies to family traditions, are ubiquitous across societies, serving as mechanisms to transmit cultural knowledge. Among immigrant populations, efforts to retain heritage practices, such as celebrating traditional holidays or speaking native languages at home, further illustrate this motivation, even in the face of pressures to assimilate into a host culture.
While the drive for cultural continuity is universal, the hypothesis acknowledges significant variation in what is preserved and how intensely. These differences depend on factors such as the perceived value of cultural traits, their practical utility, and the social status of those advocating for preservation. For example, immigrant communities may prioritise retaining language or religious practices over other elements if these are seen as central to identity or beneficial in daily life. However, younger generations often diverge from their elders, identifying more with the host culture, which can lead to selective retention or adaptation of heritage practices.
This variability is particularly evident in intergenerational dynamics. Studies cited by Cobb and colleagues show that children frequently assign different importance to cultural features than their parents, a phenomenon common in immigrant families. For instance, a second-generation Mexican-American youth might embrace English over Spanish or adopt American holidays while still valuing family-oriented cultural norms. Such shifts reflect an evolving process where cultural values are negotiated over time, shaped by external influences and internal priorities.
Perceived threats to a culture can also amplify preservation efforts. When a group feels its heritage is at risk, due to assimilation pressures, political marginalisation, or globalisation, individuals often double down on retaining core cultural elements. This reactive preservation underscores the hypothesis's claim that cultural continuity is not passive but an active, motivated process.
A compelling aspect of the cultural continuity hypothesis is its link to psychosocial well-being. Multiple studies demonstrate that successful cultural retention is associated with positive mental health outcomes across diverse populations. For immigrant families, maintaining heritage practices fosters a sense of belonging and identity, buffering against the stress of acculturation. For indigenous communities, preserving traditional knowledge and rituals can enhance resilience in the face of historical trauma.
Conversely, significant cultural discontinuities, such as wide generational gaps in values or forced assimilation, are linked to negative outcomes. Among youth, cultural misalignment with parents can lead to depression, family conflict, and poor academic performance. These findings suggest that cultural continuity serves as a psychological anchor, providing stability and meaning in a rapidly changing world. By satisfying needs for identity and belonging, cultural preservation contributes to human flourishing, reinforcing the hypothesis's claim that it is a fundamental motivation.
Beyond the evidence presented by Cobb and colleagues, several arguments further strengthen the cultural continuity hypothesis. First, evolutionary psychology offers a lens to understand why cultural preservation might be universal. Cultures, as adaptive systems, have historically enabled group survival by fostering cooperation, shared norms, and collective problem-solving. Preserving cultural knowledge, such as agricultural techniques, medicinal practices, or social hierarchies, ensures a group's resilience against environmental or social challenges. This evolutionary perspective suggests that the motivation for cultural continuity may be hardwired, akin to other survival-driven behaviours.
Second, the role of narrative in human cognition supports the hypothesis. Humans are storytelling creatures, and cultures provide shared narratives that give life meaning. Preserving these narratives through rituals, oral traditions, or written records ensures that individuals can locate themselves within a larger historical and social context.
Third, globalisation's impact adds urgency to the hypothesis. As cultural homogenisation accelerates, many groups intensify efforts to preserve their distinctiveness. The resurgence of indigenous languages, the revival of traditional crafts, and the global popularity of cultural festivals reflect a counter current to globalisation's erosive effects. These efforts align with the hypothesis's claim that cultural continuity is a motivated response to external pressures, not merely a passive tradition.
Cobb and colleagues call for rigorous empirical testing of their hypothesis, identifying several areas for future research. One key question is how cultural retention satisfies psychological needs beyond identity and belonging. For instance, does preserving heritage practices enhance self-efficacy or provide a sense of control in uncertain environments? Another area involves determining which cultural aspects are most worthy of retention in specific populations. For example, are spiritual practices more critical than linguistic ones in certain contexts, and why?
Additionally, the factors influencing cultural continuity's effects warrant deeper investigation. Social status, economic resources, and political climates all shape preservation efforts, but their interplay is complex. For instance, high-status cultural advocates (e.g., community leaders) may have more influence than low-status ones, but how does this dynamic shift across cultures? Finally, longitudinal studies could clarify how cultural continuity evolves over multiple generations, particularly in diaspora communities navigating competing cultural identities.
While the cultural continuity hypothesis is compelling, it is not without potential critiques. One concern is its universalist framing: can we truly claim that all cultures prioritise continuity equally? The White race for example, seems to be infected with white pathology, with its elites acting to eliminate the very race itself in support of the Great White Replacement. Additionally, the hypothesis could explore how power dynamics within cultures affect preservation. For example, whose version of "heritage" is preserved, and who gets marginalised in the process?
Another consideration is the tension between continuity and change. Cultures are not static; they evolve through contact, adaptation, and reinvention. The hypothesis acknowledges this but could further clarify how change and continuity coexist. For instance, hybrid cultural practices, like Spanglish or fusion cuisine, demonstrate how preservation can incorporate innovation, suggesting a more dynamic model of continuity.
The cultural continuity hypothesis offers a powerful framework for understanding why humans across time and space strive to preserve their heritage. By positing cultural retention as a universal psychological motivation, Cobb and colleagues illuminate its role in shaping identity, fostering well-being, and driving human behavior. Supported by interdisciplinary evidence and bolstered by evolutionary, narrative, and global perspectives, the hypothesis underscores the enduring importance of culture in human life.
As globalisation and technological change reshape societies, the drive for cultural continuity becomes both more challenging and more vital. Future research can refine this hypothesis by exploring its implications and testing its claims across diverse contexts. Ultimately, the cultural continuity hypothesis reminds us that, despite our differences, humans share a profound need to anchor themselves in the stories, practices, and values of their heritage, a need that not only defines who we are but also sustains us through the uncertainties of the future.
https://phys.org/news/2025-06-cultural-hypothesis-wired-traditions-alive.html
"Each human culture consists of a unique set of values, beliefs and practices. However, a common thread across cultures is the apparent importance of preserving aspects of those cultures throughout generations.
In a new paper published in the journal Psychological Review, Cory Cobb, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Health Behavior at the Texas A&M University School of Public Health, and colleagues from the University of Texas at Austin, proposed a cultural continuity hypothesis stating that humans are universally motivated to retain and preserve key parts of their cultures across time and space.
"These cultural aspects likely give people within that culture a sense of belonging and identity," Cobb said. "This is similar to the way people create internal narratives about themselves that inform different aspects of their lives."
The researchers reviewed literature in sociology, psychology and anthropology to support their hypothesis and explore factors influencing varying cultural preservation efforts. Extensive research has shown that virtually all cultures share a need to preserve those aspects of the culture that people see as important.
The cultural continuity hypothesis also notes that which parts of a culture are preserved and to what degree vary widely across populations and generations. Such variations are apparent in immigrant populations where younger generations often identify more closely with the host country's culture than that of their group's country of origin. Studies have found that children placing different importance on cultural features than their parents is a common occurrence.
Similarly, some elements of culture are more likely to be preserved over time than others. This depends on factors like the perceived value of those cultural traits and whether they are beneficial in daily life. The perceived status of those working to preserve cultural aspects also plays a role in the degree of cultural transmission.
"This evolving process means that cultural values can shift over time, and also that perceived threats against a population's cultural heritage often lead to greater efforts to retain important cultural aspects," Cobb said.
Although cultural retention practices vary widely, Cobb and colleagues indicate that cultural continuity itself can be seen in all cultures. Evidence for preference toward familiar faces, language and music in infants, the universal presence of customs and rituals to preserve culture, and efforts by immigrant families to retain cultural aspects in new efforts all support cultural continuity being something common to all cultures.
Efforts to preserve important cultural aspects also appears to be crucial to psychological and social well-being. Multiple studies have identified an association between successful cultural retention and positive mental health in many populations.
In contrast, wide cultural differences between older and younger generations are associated with negative mental health and behavioral outcomes in youth such as higher rates of depression, family conflict and poor academic performance.
Cobb and colleagues state that they welcome further testing and development of their cultural continuity hypothesis. In their study they identified several areas in need of further exploration. These include exploring how culture retention might satisfy psychological needs beyond those already identified, determining which cultural aspects are most worthy of retention in different populations, and digging into the many factors that influence cultural continuity's effects.
Although all cultures are unique in their practices, this study indicates people are compelled to preserve the aspects they consider most important.
"Preserving culture across time and space appears to be a nearly universal human practice," Cobb said. "Although cultural features and efforts to preserve them across generations vary, successful continuity seems to play a crucial role in a population's well-being."
https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Frev0000561
Cobb, C. L., Schwartz, S. J., & Martinez, C. R., Jr. (2025). A theory of cultural continuity: Heritage culture retention as an important psychological motivation. Psychological Review. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/rev0000561
In this article, we advance the thesis, called the cultural continuity hypothesis, which states that heritage culture retention represents an important psychological motivation that underlies a wide array of human behaviors and that is important for positive psychosocial functioning. Cultural continuity entails the purposeful preservation of salient features of one's heritage culture across time and is both functional and adaptive. By integrating diverse bodies of literature across disciplines, we provide robust evidence for consistent and universal value attached to the goals that serve to satisfy the need for cultural continuity and that these goals are present from an early age. We also provide robust evidence that the successful attainment of goals related to satisfying the need for cultural continuity is important for psychosocial health and well-being. We conclude by providing explicit criteria that would subject the cultural continuity hypothesis to rigorous empirical tests, followed by future directions for heritage culture retention research. Cultural continuity appears to be an important psychological motivation that transcends populations and contexts and that is important for positive human functioning."