Age Quote by John Tooby
“The assertion that 'culture' explains human variation will be taken seriously when there are reports of women war parties raiding villages to capture men as husbands, or of parent cloistering their sons but not their daughters to protect their sons' virtue, or when cultural distributions for preferences concerning physical attractiveness, earning power, relative age and so on show as many cultures with bias in one direction as in the other.”
About This Quote
Source Article: Human Nature and Culture, Steven Pinker, 1997
Culture alone cannot fully explain human differences; biological and social factors also shape behaviors and preferences.
In simple terms: Culture isn’t the only cause of human variation.
Key Takeaway
Consider both biology and culture.
Themes
culture
biology
human variation
gender roles
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
academic
theoretical
When to use this quote
- anthropology research
- gender studies
- cross‑cultural analysis
Key Concepts
evolutionary psychology
social constructs
Questions to Reflect On
- How do biology and culture interact?
- What evidence shows limits of cultural determinism?
A Different Perspective
Cultural explanations may overlook genetic and individual influences.
