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Home/Anthropology/Mains PYQ/2014/Paper I/Culture & Society
UPSC MainsAnthropology Optional Paper I 2014 15 Marks Model Answer Available

Is Culture Unique to Human Beings — 2014 Paper I

Question · 2014 · Paper I · 15 Marks

Is culture unique to human beings ? Critically examine.

Model Answer

VAID ICS

Approach

  • Demand of Question: Critically examine whether culture is exclusively human in light of evidence of socially learned behaviour among non-human animals.
  • Structuring the Response: Define culture, present evidence of animal traditions, and then identify the qualitative characteristics that make human culture distinctive.
  • Key Dimensions to Cover: Learning, transmission, chimpanzees, primates, tool use, symbolism, language, cumulative culture and ratchet effect.

Model Answer

Introduction: Culture generally refers to learned, shared and socially transmitted patterns of behaviour and meaning. Traditionally anthropology regarded culture as uniquely human, but primatological research shows that several non-human species possess socially transmitted behavioural traditions.

Evidence against absolute human uniqueness

Chimpanzees show population-specific traditions such as:

  • termite fishing;
  • nut cracking;
  • leaf-sponging;
  • grooming patterns.

Young individuals acquire many of these behaviours through observation and social learning.

Other animals also display socially transmitted:

  • feeding techniques;
  • vocal traditions;
  • migration routes.

Thus, if culture is defined simply as:

Learned + Shared + Socially transmitted behaviour

then rudimentary culture is not uniquely human.

What makes human culture distinctive?

Human culture differs qualitatively in several respects.

  1. Symbolism: Humans attach conventional meanings to:
  • words;
  • objects;
  • rituals;
  • signs.
  1. Language: Complex language permits transmission of information beyond the immediate situation.
  2. Cumulative culture: Innovations are preserved and progressively modified across generations.

Thus:

Innovation → Transmission → Improvement → Further innovation

This is often called the ratchet effect.

  1. Normativity: Human cultures define what people ought to do through:
  • customs;
  • morality;
  • law;
  • religion.
  1. Institutionalization: Humans organize behaviour into complex institutions such as:
  • kinship;
  • economy;
  • religion;
  • political systems.

Critical assessment

The distinction is therefore one of degree and complexity rather than absolute presence or absence. Non-human primates demonstrate cultural traditions, but humans possess an unparalleled capacity for symbolic, cumulative and institutionalized culture.

Conclusion

Culture in its elementary sense of socially learned traditions is not exclusively human. However, symbolic communication, cumulative transmission and institutional complexity make human culture qualitatively distinctive and central to human adaptation.

2025 Culture and embodiment. 2025 Critically examine the drawbacks in assuming culture as an 'integrated-closed' system in understanding of contemporary society. 2025 Describe briefly the theoretical perspectives in linguistic anthropology to explain the relationship of culture, language and thought. 2024 Attributes of culture

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UPSC Anthropology Optional 2014 — Paper I

28 questions

5(d) Asian Homo erectus

10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper I > 1.6 Phylogenetic status, characteristics and distribution > Homo erectus in Asia
2014Paper IHuman Evolution & PrimatologyModel answer available

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10 Marks150 words
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2014Paper IKinshipModel answer available

1(d) Ecological Anthropology

10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper I > 9.7 Concepts and methods of Ecological Anthropology > Bio-cultural adaptations
2014Paper IHuman Genetics & Human BiologyModel answer available

5(c) Epidemiological Anthropology

10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper I > 9.8 Epidemiological Anthropology > Health and disease
2014Paper IHuman Genetics & Human BiologyModel answer available

5(e) Fertility and Fecundity

10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper I > 11.3 Biological and socio-ecological factors influencing fecundity, fertility, natality and mortality
2014Paper IHuman Genetics & Human BiologyModel answer available

1(b) Genealogical Method

10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper I > 8.3 Research Methods: Tools of data collection > Genealogy
2014Paper IResearch Methods in AnthropologyModel answer available

5(b) Genetic Counselling

10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper I > 9.4(d) Genetic screening, genetic counselling and human DNA profiling
2014Paper IHuman Genetics & Human BiologyModel answer available