PSYC14H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 3: Norbert Elias, Cultural Evolution, Pleistocene
Document Summary
Norbert elias argues that western europe was transformed as the manners of the aristocracy trickled down to govern the behaviour of the lower classes. We can consider how cultural variation comes to be by considering the ecologies within which people live. By late pleistocene era humans had already settled in a more diverse range of physical environments than any other species these different environments affected the ways people went about their daily lives. The kinds of food that are available within a given ecology affect the kinds of foraging behaviours that people engage in. The different foraging behaviours can also affect how the societies are structured and the values that people adopt. In those cultures where the environment is harsh and requires courage and physical prowess to secure a living, cultures of masculinity that value strength and toughness of males are more likely to emerge.
