The Effects of Institutions on Human Behavior
Carolyn N. Kinder
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Sociocultural Environment
In much the same sense that man receives a genetic heritage which is the product of millions of years of evolutionary history, he also receives a sociocultural heritage which is the end product of many thousands of years of social evolution. This heritage varies greatly from one social group to another but the various cultures of the world have enough in common to enable us to talk about human culture. Every group, for example, has its language, family and social structure, customs, values, music, and art. These institutions are characteristically human and tend to be transmitted by similar means in every society. Group membership and instruction, status, role and interpersonal relationships are the chief means by which the sociocultural environment exerts its influence on individual development.
