Chapter 5 dwells upon several essential areas of particular interest to me. The chapter sheds light on a possible answer to the power of nature or nurture (Myers & Twenge, 2019). I believe a combination of biological and cultural aspects affects people’s behaviors and choices, but genetics is a more potent factor. For example, I have a sister who is only two years older than me; all our friends have expected us to be very similar. We were raised in one family and received equal attention and affection. However, we have somewhat different worldviews and behavioral patterns. I was a high achiever at school, but my sister had average scores. I am also more open-minded and eager to try new things. Unlike my friends, I find our differences quite natural as we inherited different traits from our ancestors. Although we have lived in similar cultural contexts, we still have other preferences, plans, and life goals.
The influence of genes is specifically apparent in mating patterns displayed by males and females. Some call it love or passion, but I think it is all about people’s desire to produce the fittest offspring. Again, although cultural norms in most western cultures promote monogamy, people (especially men) are far from being monogamous. They need to transfer their genetic data and produce as many children as possible to contribute to diversity in their species. Perhaps, I have not met many people that seemed appropriate for mating, or I am void of this kind of instinct, but I prefer monogamous relationships. I would also like a life-long marriage with several kids and no adultery or such experiences. These must be values I adopted in my patriarchal family.
Another important aspect discussed in the chapter in question is the impact of cultures on people’s behavior. Gender roles have gained the most attention, and this area is also of considerable interest to me. Although I think females and males are quite different due to their biological peculiarities, I guess no discrimination or bias is allowed worldwide. So, I can hardly understand and accept eastern cultures where women are seen as inferior or subject to male control and supervision. At the same time, I still have certain stereotypes regarding professions. For instance, the picture displaying a male educator of preschoolers seems quite odd to me. I understand this is a stereotypical view, and men can be perfect teachers of children of all ages. Nevertheless, I have a biased opinion about some professions, which is a cultural outcome. I believe I was raised in an environment where masculine and feminine occupations had clear-cut boundaries.
A final domain to discuss is related to cultural diversity in the world. In chapter 5, specific differences in some nations’ peculiarities are described, and I agree with all those highlights. I have met many people about different cultures and noticed slight and sometimes substantial differences in their behaviors. For example, Asian people’s collectivism is remarkable for rather individualistic westerners. These differences are specifically apparent when people about different cultures have to interact. I have worked on many projects with people having very different backgrounds. I found it quite challenging to manage such projects, especially regarding deadlines and risk assessment. Some nations simply do not care about deadlines and planning, which is a nightmare for me, but I understand that I need to learn to collaborate with different people to be successful.
Reference
Myers, D. & Twenge, J. (2019). Social psychology (13th ed.). McGraw-Hill.