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Vestigiality. In humans, the vermiform appendix is sometimes called a vestigial structure as it has lost much of its ancestral digestive function. Vestigiality is the retention, during the process of evolution, of genetically determined structures or attributes that have lost some or all of the ancestral function in a given species. [1]
Atavism. Early embryos of various species display some ancestral features, like the tail on this human embryo. These features normally disappear in later development, but it may not happen if the animal has an atavism. [1][2] In biology, an atavism is a modification of a biological structure whereby an ancestral genetic trait reappears after ...
A sociological theory is a supposition that intends to consider, analyze, and/or explain objects of social reality from a sociological perspective, [ 1 ]: 14 drawing connections between individual concepts in order to organize and substantiate sociological knowledge.
Social fact. In sociology, social facts are values, cultural norms, and social structures that transcend the individual and can exercise social control. The French sociologist Émile Durkheim defined the term, and argued that the discipline of sociology should be understood as the empirical study of social facts.
In the context of human evolution, vestigiality involves those traits occurring in humans that have lost all or most of their original function through evolution. Although structures called vestigial often appear functionless, a vestigial structure may retain lesser functions or develop minor new ones.
A cultural trait is a single identifiable material or non-material element within a culture, and is conceivable as an object in itself. [1] [2] [3]Similar traits can be grouped together as components, or subsystems of culture; [4] the terms sociofact and mentifact (or psychofact) [5] were coined by biologist Julian Huxley as two of three subsystems of culture—the third being artifacts—to ...
The concept describes the formation of the shared character structure of the people of a society or a social class according to their way of life and the socially typical expectations and functional requirements regarding socially adaptive behavior. Social character is essentially adaptive to the dominant mode of production in a society.
Expectancy violations theory (EVT) is a theory of communication that analyzes how individuals respond to unanticipated violations of social norms and expectations. [1] The theory was proposed by Judee K. Burgoon in the late 1970s and continued through the 1980s and 1990s as "nonverbal expectancy violations theory", based on Burgoon's research studying proxemics.