What Makes Us Human
Abstract
The essential givens of our species are often called sociocultural universals. Sociocultural universals, or just universals, are the core of behavior and belief that makes us human. As descendants of anatomically modern humans who originated in Africa, we are the only remaining bipedal primates on the planet. We have an innate predisposition to sophisticated forms of language and depend on highly complex, group-living arrangements based on shared, learned behavior and ideas that change with time.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Language and cultural evolution
Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior
Primate Behavior and Ecology
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Routledge eBooks
- Pages
- 38–66
- Publication date
- 19 January 2026
- Language
- EN
- Document type
- Book chapter