Anthropology Terms 08.26.21

An adaptive mechanism is a strategy developed in order to survive in a particular environment.


Examples:

  • Humans adapted to their environment and developed culture, i.e. ways to connect with their people and establish legacies that will outlive them.
  • Animals who have adapted to their environment and picked up new strategies to hunt will be favored by natural selection, having been able to adapt when their competitors did not. 
  • A child adapts to survive isolation by learning therapeutic skills to stay connected with friends and keep from going insane.



Socialization is the process by which a person learns about the culture and society they are growing up in and their role in both. By interacting with people in their community, they adopt skills and beliefs and are educated on the language, customs, and societal norms of their culture.


Example:

  • A child being raised in a religious household, socializing primarily with a religious community, will become accustomed to the values, expectations, and lifestyle of that religion. Those aspects will become integral to the child's identity and outlook on life, which is completely different from a child who grew up in a non-religious household.


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