psych 140 exam 1 practice
culture -✅✅ -the large body of practices, techniques, heuristics, tools, motivations,
values, and beliefs that we acquire from those around us while growing up
we adapt to the environment... - ✅✅-culturally, NOT biologically
synchronic dimension - ✅✅ -1 of 2 dimensions of culture:
-culture creates cohesive social groups (social norms/rules in a single time)
maintains group stability
keeping culture together (social cohesion)
cooperation and normativity
diachronic dimension - ✅✅ -transmission of culture across generations
-key method is: SOCIAL LEARNING
-passing down the continuity of culture
dual inheritance theory -✅✅ -two engines of cumulative culture
(imitation and innovation)
-1st: the nests of birds haven't changed significantly throughout bird history
-2nd human invention of wheels has significantly advanced in terms of technology
life history theory (4 main unique components of Human Life History - ✅✅-1. Long
lifespan: allows us to teach practices and culture
2. Extended period of juvenile dependence: allows us time to learn
3. Support of reproduction by older post-reproductive individuals
4. Male support of reproduction
Children's adaptation to a long childhood - ✅✅ --evolved a long period of
IMMATURITY dependent on resources -> adapt to our cultural lifestyles.
-require a large amt of info for cultural evolution, so we have good social learning
skills
-> Ex: children can outperform adults in terms of learning (neuroplasticity, learning a
language)
-> still open to new info that contradicts their prior beliefs
-compared to chimps, slow development is also reflected in brain maturation
comparative approach - ✅✅ -mainly with great ape relatives
-can highlight what is unique about humans, or often gives us clues towards what is
"innnate" if it is shared
cross-cultural approach - ✅✅ -hopefully addresses problems of sampling bias to
have generalizable claims, or at the very least highlight the importance of cultural
differences in our psychological processes
culture -✅✅ -the large body of practices, techniques, heuristics, tools, motivations,
values, and beliefs that we acquire from those around us while growing up
we adapt to the environment... - ✅✅-culturally, NOT biologically
synchronic dimension - ✅✅ -1 of 2 dimensions of culture:
-culture creates cohesive social groups (social norms/rules in a single time)
maintains group stability
keeping culture together (social cohesion)
cooperation and normativity
diachronic dimension - ✅✅ -transmission of culture across generations
-key method is: SOCIAL LEARNING
-passing down the continuity of culture
dual inheritance theory -✅✅ -two engines of cumulative culture
(imitation and innovation)
-1st: the nests of birds haven't changed significantly throughout bird history
-2nd human invention of wheels has significantly advanced in terms of technology
life history theory (4 main unique components of Human Life History - ✅✅-1. Long
lifespan: allows us to teach practices and culture
2. Extended period of juvenile dependence: allows us time to learn
3. Support of reproduction by older post-reproductive individuals
4. Male support of reproduction
Children's adaptation to a long childhood - ✅✅ --evolved a long period of
IMMATURITY dependent on resources -> adapt to our cultural lifestyles.
-require a large amt of info for cultural evolution, so we have good social learning
skills
-> Ex: children can outperform adults in terms of learning (neuroplasticity, learning a
language)
-> still open to new info that contradicts their prior beliefs
-compared to chimps, slow development is also reflected in brain maturation
comparative approach - ✅✅ -mainly with great ape relatives
-can highlight what is unique about humans, or often gives us clues towards what is
"innnate" if it is shared
cross-cultural approach - ✅✅ -hopefully addresses problems of sampling bias to
have generalizable claims, or at the very least highlight the importance of cultural
differences in our psychological processes
