Chapter #2: Culture & Human Nature Flashcards
What is Prestige Bias?
try to imitate individuals who have skills and are respected by others
Most likely to follow talented individuals
What is Similarity Bias?
demonstrate your group affiliation
choosing whom to imitate, learn from, based on the target’s similarity to themselves
What is Conformist Transmission?
following the majority
a tendency to learn from people who are engaged in behaviors that are more common compared to others
Cultural learning relies on what 3 cognitive abilites:
(1) Mentalizing
(2) Imitative Learning
(3) Emulative Learning
What is Mentalizing?
taking on the perspective of others and considering their intentions
aka Theory of Mind
What is Imitative Learning?
when a learner internalizes the mdoel’s goals and behavior strategies to copy the task
What is Emulative Learning?
when the learner focuses on how the tasks effect the environment, rather than what the model intends to accomplish
How does Language impact learning?
(1) allows ideas to be communicated without having to be visually demonstrated
(2) sharing experiences and goals
What is the Ratchet Effect?
after an initial idea is learned from others, it can be modified and improved upon by others
T/F: Larger groups of people allow for more cultural accumulation
True
presence of larger models ensuer that larger models always have a talented member to copy from
What can be said about the cultural complexity of those living in isolated regions?
- Isolated groups with larger populations have more developed tools/technology
- innovations come from places where like-minded people cluster
What are Cultural Worlds?
worlds that contain cultural ideas that have accumulated over time
What is the Ecephalization Quotient?
the ratio of brain weight of animal divided by the brain weight that is predicted for an animal of comparable size
What is the EQ of Humans vs. Animals?
Humans have an EQ that is 4.5 (which is 4x bigger than primates)
How have human bodies changed to accomodate our larger brains?
- Digestive track shrunk
- With less energy used to digest food, the energy is redirected to the brain
What cultural invention has influenced the development of larger human brains?
Cooking
* the invention of cooking gave us the invention of processing food, making digesting foods easier
What is Gene-Culture Coevolution?
the interaction of culture and genes
* a key factor that distinguishes human evolution
What is the Social Brain Hypothesis?
theory of why brains evolve
socially adept primate who could cooperate, compete, care for kin, and end up surviving
What is the Neocortex Ratio?
the volume of the neocortex divided by the volume of the rest of the brain
those living in larger groups tend to have larger neocortexs
How do Human’s learn through Imitative Learning?
- Internalize models’ goals and behavioral strategies
- Over intimates
- Focus: fulfill the goal of the model
- Requires ToM
- Less efficient
- Cumulative cultural learning
How do Primates learning through Emulative Learning?
- Figure how an object affects environment
- Focus: how the object/tool changes the environment
- Does not requires ToM
- Efficient; problem solving
- Does not allow for cultural cumulative learning
What were the results of the rake study between children and chimps?
- Children used the rake in the teeth down position (Imitative learning)
- Chimps used the rake in the teeith up position (Emulative Learning)
What are the biggest differences in language in human vs. animal culture?
(1) humans communicate with complex/abstract ideas
(2) complex grammar, rich vocabulary
Isolated cultures tend to lag in:
(1) Construct better tools/inventions
(2) Innovate socially
(3) Creat knew knowledge
(4) keep up with the world-knowledge
What are the costs to the modern human brain?
(1) Large brain has immense energy costs
(2) 2% of body weight; 16% of all basal metabolism
(3) brains of other animals only use 1-3% of basal metabolism
What is the Fruit Consumption Theory?
theory on why large brains evolve
primates with mental maps/memory remembered patches, thrive and have offspring
What is the Food Extraction Theory?
theory on how large brain develop
knowing how to extract food, better nutrution, and results in survival
What did Herrmann find when comparing physical and social tasks?
Social tasks were better with humans, specifically sequential tasks
What are the characteristics of human “culture” differentiating from that of animal cultures?
(1) Complexity
(2) Differentiation
(3) Institutionalization
What are Hofested’s 6 dimensions/values
(1) Individualism vs. Collectivism
(2) Power Distance
(3) Uncertainty Avoidance
(4) Masculinity-Feminitity
(5) Long-Short Term Orientation
(6) Indulgence - Restraint
What is Individualism vs. Collectivism?
Dependence on others
Individualism - not dependent
Collectivism - dependent
What is Power Distance?
whether there is more acceptance of inequalities
What is Uncertainty Avoidance?
the ability to be ready when reacting to the unknown
What is Masculinity-Femininity?
if there is an observed difference in gender expectations and what gender should think
Masculine societies are more rigid
Feminine societies are less rigid
What is Long-Short Term Orientation?
Whether perspectives empahsis on planning for the far-ahead or taking things day by day
What is Indulgence-Restraint
if easy/acceptance of natural drives or viewed as indulgent
What is Dynamic Externality?
fate, supreme beings, powerful authoritative governments
What is Social Cynicism?
jaded view of society, oppressive, manipulative, gentle souls get trampled
Tightness vs. Looseness
tolerance for deviance from the norms
What is Enculturation?
the process of learning the ways/manners of culture
