This Assignment, to reflect on the relative role of evolution and culture on our current behaviour.

Biology versus culture as determinants of human behaviour

Human biology, the ultimate substrate for our behaviour, is the result of millions of years of evolution. Following the mechanisms explained by Darwin and others, our nervous system—like the rest of our body—has evolved to allow us to perform some of the cognitive processes we share with other animals, like attention or perception, but also others that seem uniquely human, like language or complex reasoning. But many might argue that what makes us different to non-human animals is not biology, but culture—or perhaps the ability to somewhat voluntaril overcome our biological instincts. For instance, we seem to be the only species able to control our inner impulse to strike back when we are attacked, on the sole consideration that such behaviour is not socially approved in that given context.

This Assignment, to reflect on the relative role of evolution and culture on our current behaviour.

Remember there is no clear right or wrong answer—you must provide your personal views on the matter. However, you are expected to base your reflections on the available scientific knowledge and on the proposals published in the academic literature.

500 words

Apa style

15 References