Ch 3 genes culture and gender

Chapter 3: Genes, Culture, and Gender

1️⃣ How Genes Make Us Similar

• Evolutionary Psychology

  • Studies how human cognition and behavior evolve based on natural selection.

• Natural Selection

  • Traits that increase survival and reproduction are passed on to future generations.

• Universal Human Goals

  • Core drives behind human behavior include survival and reproduction.

• Buss (1995) on Evolutionary Psychology

  • Evolution shapes all psychological mechanisms.

  • Natural selection is the only known process capable of creating complex behavior.

  • Psychological theories operate at different levels, but evolution serves as the unifying theory.

2️⃣ How Culture Creates Differences

• Culture

  • The shared behaviors, ideas, attitudes, and traditions passed from generation to generation.

• Epigenetics

  • Study of how genes interact with the environment to influence behavior (e.g., genes for depression may activate under stress).

• Norms

  • Social rules and expectations for behavior.

Cultural Differences in Norms

• Individual Choices

  • Some cultures emphasize personal freedom (e.g., Western), while others emphasize group conformity (e.g., Eastern).

• Expressiveness

  • Variability in emotional expressiveness across cultures; some are more expressive while others are reserved.

• Punctuality

  • Importance of timekeeping varies; some cultures value strict punctuality, while others are more relaxed.

• Rule-Breaking

  • Social rules differ; what is acceptable in one culture may be taboo in another.

• Personal Space

  • Different comfort levels regarding physical closeness; Western cultures often prefer more personal space.

Cultural Similarities in Norms

• Friendship Norms

  • Universal expectations of loyalty, honesty, and respect in friendships.

• Trait Dimensions

  • Basic personality traits exist across cultures (e.g., Big Five Traits: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism).

• Social Belief Dimensions

  • Core beliefs about justice, fate, and social responsibility are shared across cultures.

• Status Norms

  • Hierarchical structures are present in all societies; respect for elders is a common norm.

• Incest Taboo

  • Universal prohibition against relationships between close relatives.

3️⃣ Sex & Gender: A Genes-Culture Interaction

• Sex vs. Gender

  • Sex refers to biological differences (male/female).

  • Gender refers to socially constructed roles and expectations (masculinity/femininity).

• Gender Roles

  • Expected behaviors for males and females based on cultural norms.

• Traditional Hypergamy Ideal (Himawan, 2020)

  • In Indonesia, the ideal marriage often involves women "marrying up" in socioeconomic status.

  • Rising trends in singleness as women pursue careers and leadership roles, challenging traditional norms.

🔥 Summary of Key Takeaways

1️⃣ Evolutionary psychology explains human similarities focusing on survival and reproduction.2️⃣ Culture shapes differences in how universal behaviors are expressed.3️⃣ Norms guide behavior, with some norms such as status, friendship, and incest taboo being universal.4️⃣ Gender roles are influenced by both biology (sex) and culture (expectations).