Comments on: Culture Shapes How We Look at Faces

By: D. C. Sessions

D. C. Sessions — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:59:08 +0000

Why is the model that cultural behavior is genetic rather than learned the more correct assumption that extra effort needs to be made to disprove instead of the other way around.

If I parsed that correctly, you misread me. I merely point out that the assumption that culture is the determining factor is premature. It may well be, but there are other possibilities which have at least some science supporting them.

IIRC some time ago there was a study which found a genetic influence on phoneme biases, and the genes in question are fairly population-specific. Unsurprisingly, the languages in those regions showed the same phoneme biases. Then again, this was a while ago and it isn’t my field.

Nature. Nurture. Subject far from closed.

By: Greg Laden

Greg Laden — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:52:21 +0000

Sailor, yes, I’m quite sure. The conditions that produce a human certainly don’t include only raising a chimp to talk (and smoke cigars and drive little cars)!!

DC Why is the model that cultural behavior is genetic rather than learned the more correct assumption that extra effort needs to be made to disprove instead of the other way around.

By: D. C. Sessions

D. C. Sessions — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:45:34 +0000

In light of twin studies I’m disinclined to rule out a much stronger role for genetics in matters such as temperament and position on the social/individual scale.

Thus, leaping from “east asians do X, europeans do Y” to “cultural influence” is premature. Might be true, but the evidence is a long way from conclusive.

Instant example: some breeds of cats are much more social than others. Not a matter of socialization; it’s clearly inherited and in fact bred for.

By: Katharine

Katharine — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:07:28 +0000

Well, strictly, biology determines that we have the ability to speak. Other primates just don’t have the vocal cords.

By: edivimo

edivimo — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:47:20 +0000

I think the raised chimps can’t talk because their pharingeal anatomy, they can’t make the same sounds we do, I see it in NatGeo! Is the same reason the chimps can’t laugh too.

By: sailor

sailor — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:10:14 +0000

“The neural circuitry that determines our ability to speak is present in all primates, even those that don’t speak. The preservation of this circuitry in humans occurs because we grow up as babies in a linguistic environment.”
Are you sure about that Greg? Seems people have tried to raise chimps like kids and teach them to speak with very little success. They did better with sign language.
Isn’t Broca’s area, thought to be associated with speech, much more developed in humans?