SOC 111 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Libido, Human Behaviour, Social Forces
16 Jan 2018
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Document Summary
Examines the social context of human behaviour cross-culturally and historically. We study human behaviour to improve the human condition by understanding our actions and what we can do about it. Common sense vs sociological understanding: biological perspective, pseudo-psychological, moralistic. A way of looking at psychological issues by studying the physical basis of human behaviour. Involves studying the brain, immune system, nervous system, genetics etc e. g. gender roles are biologically determined (nature vs nurture) Men are naturally more aggressive than women because of their biology. Women are naturally better at nurturing than men because of their biology. Sex and temperament in three primitive societies (1935: arapesh. Men similar to women in nurturing behaviours (contrast to north america: mundugamor. Men the adorned, the gossips, the makers of things for trade. Interplay of biology and nature e. g. jamaican runners. Biology: actinen a in fast-twitch muscle vers of 70% of africans. Social conditions: poverty, few sporting options, minimal transportation options, recent government investment.
