PSYC14H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 5: Japanese Language, Individualism, Scoot
Document Summary
One key adaptation that enabled humans to distinguish themselves from their proto- chimpanzee ancestors was the ability to learn and accumulate cultural information so well. This adaptation allowed humans to learn the requisite technologies and skills to stake out a successful existence in such diverse environments. Humans need to learn cultural knowledge and skills, they are not in our heads from the beginning we have certain biological potentials that enable us to learn them well. We come into this world cultureless, but we are prepared to adjust to and seize meaning from any environment with which we are presented. Our universal biological foundation is shaped by our experiences, such that we are able to thrive in an extremely broad array of cultural environments. Sensitive period: a period of time in an organism"s development that allows for the relatively easy acquisition of a set of skills.
