RAS History & PhilologyЭтнографическое обозрение Ethno review

  • ISSN (Print) 0869-5415
  • ISSN (Online) 3034-6274

Biology and Culture: Ethnographic and Anthropological Perspectives on Gene-Culture Coevolution

PII
S30346274S0869541525040129-1
DOI
10.7868/S3034627425040129
Publication type
Article
Status
Published
Authors
Volume/ Edition
Volume / Issue number 4
Pages
185-206
Abstract
This article provides an interdisciplinary analysis of the interaction between genetic, neural, and cultural factors underlying key human capacities such as language, ritual, art, and complex social organization. The study is based on the concept of gene-culture coevolution, which demonstrates that culture can generate selective pressures while also being shaped by biological influences, forming a dynamic feedback loop between the two. Ethnographic examples from diverse contexts – including Andean and Tibetan highland societies, Nicaraguan sign languages, Aboriginal Australian practices, and Ugandan educational reforms – illustrate the variety of adaptive strategies. These cases show how culture can both compensate for and reinforce biological influences. Published field data on topics such as high-altitude adaptation, linguistic environments, and ritual systems highlight the importance of an interdisciplinary approach that integrates genetics, neurobiology, ethnography, and cultural anthropology. In conclusion, the study emphasizes that overcoming the simplistic nature versus nurture dichotomy requires acknowledging the synergy between biological and cultural mechanisms that drive the coevolution of cognitive and social capacities in Homo sapiens, particularly in the context of globalization and technological advancement.
Keywords
генно-культурная козволюция эпигенетика культурные практики культурная адаптация биологическая адаптация глобализация и культура
Date of publication
15.05.2025
Year of publication
2025
Number of purchasers
0
Views
19

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