Behavioral ecology and optimality: Seeking alternative views

Abstract

Compositional analysis were undertaken to understand if Tusayan Virgin Series ceramics were being traded between southern Nevada and the St. George Basin during the Pueblo III period to counteract the loss of a diverse resource base after the collapse of the trade networks with the Arizona Strip. This study suggests that Tusayan Virgin Series ceramics were not traded between the two regions and that ecological models of the economy may not fit preconceived notions of logical responses or optimality. The Uncertainty Avoidance Index is explored as a useful tool for understanding the psychological reasons behind less than optimal behavior.