What type of evolution involves traits that are taught or learned rather than passed on through DNA?

Cultural evolution refers to the processes through which knowledge, behaviors, customs, and skills are learned and shared within human societies. This type of evolution is not based on genetic inheritance but on the transmission of learned behaviors and practices from one generation to the next. For instance, language, social norms, and technologies are all aspects of cultural evolution that can develop over time as a result of teaching and social interactions, rather than through the genetic material passed down from one generation to the next.

In contrast, biological evolution involves changes in genetic traits within populations over generations due to natural selection and genetic drift. Genetic adaptation is specifically concerned with how populations change genetically in response to environmental pressures, while epigenetic changes refer to modifications in gene expression that do not involve alterations to the underlying DNA sequence but can still affect an organism's phenotype. These areas focus on genetic inheritance rather than on the learning and sharing of non-genetic traits, which is central to understanding cultural evolution.