Psychology 3228A/B Chapter Notes - Chapter 14: Margaret Mead, Superorganism, Franz Boas
23 Aug 2019
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The importance of culture: cultural practices not completely arbitrary= infl by human nature and shaped by natural selection and vary process cult transmission- ability and desire imitate others- underpinned by specialised neural mechanisms likely been produced by evol. The future of culture-gene theories: all 3 theories still in infancy but seem promising way explaining evol culture, tooby and cosmides and lumden place more emph on bio basis specific cult practises, whereas. Richerson and boyd focus more on transmitted elements cult- both imp factors complete understanding culture. Is cultural evolution always progressive: by 1830s maori reached advanced stage cultural evolution, engaging in intensive agriculture and. The psychological mechanisms of cultural transmission: one mechanisms cultural transmission is imitation= v good at it ex: monkey and toddler raised together, toddler copy monkey on things. Imitation requires individ mentally represent intention actor and thereby see method means achieving goal but emulation intention isn"t as salient, so method imprecisely executed.
