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Signature Assignment
Nicholas J. White
ANTH 1020
03/22/2017
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Science and culture both arise evidence of human variation effecting the

evolution of humans. When looking at the hard facts and scientific evidence that is

represented from years of research and study, we see many examples of this. The

relationship of science and culture can be easily shown when representing most human

variations. Cultural differences of a population result in a small part of that population

breaking off from the main and moving to a new area, whether it be a different continent,

ecosystem, or any other specified area, which causes human variation among the

separated population to differ sometimes because of the scientific motivation that the

groups experience differently. The examples that link culture and science together with

variation seem to be endless, but I am going to consider actual evidence that suggests

the connection between the two, such as identifying sexual orientation. Some believe

that sexual orientation is a direct result of evolutionary and biological factors while

others believe that it is the outcome of social perspectives or the behavior choices that

are reinforced by individuals. Another example of culture influencing the scientific

properties of variation is when a culture does not allow a person to participate in a

ceremony, or practice, or does not put them in the same class as another person based

off their sex, race, skin color, or other variation. This shows an immediate example as

well as a possibility of the human variation to be affected on an evolutionary scale.

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One example of human variation that stuck in my head from our class

discussions and book readings was how the sickle cell gene is produced throughout the

population. When you have one of the sickle cell genes you are able to withstand

malaria, which is a deadly disease in places like Africa that is passed on by mosquitos.

However when you have two of the sickle cell genes you usually die from sickle cell

anemia. So those with no sickle cell traits die from malaria before they can reproduce,

while those with both sickle cell genes die from sickle cell anemia before they can

reproduce. This causes the parents with a sickle cell trait and a normal trait to be the

only ones to reproduce. Which in turn, causes one half of the children to have a sickle

cell gene and a normal gene, while one quarter of the children get both sickle cell

genes, and the last quarter end up with no sickle cell genes whatsoever. This causes a

continual pattern however this is how we have adapted to the ecosystem that this group

is born into. This shows how human variation works for the good and bad.

Sex and gender are different in that the sex of an individual relates to the

reproductive system that they have biologically, while gender may refer to the gender

role that is based off the persons sex organs or what that person identifies as. So,

someone may have male reproductive organs, but can still identify as a woman. Another

example that shows a difference in the two is when a female may prefer females, but
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their gender may be based off the role of their reproductive organs, which would be

female.

Ethnicity and Race are different in that ethnicity is when you share common

beliefs or physical characteristics with a group. Race is based off genetic ancestry and

what physical characteristics make you up. Scientific studies help show examples of

race differences but ultimately culture is what defines races. Ethnicity is purely racial

because it is something that can be changed and continued based off of an individuals

beliefs and decisions.

Of the four variations (race, gender. Sex, ethnicity) I believe that sex is the only

one that could be represented on a continuum. Biologically, sex cannot change because

humans can only reproduce with a male and female, eliminating any other sex from

arriving. Ethnicity, race, and gender have changed over time and will most likely

continue to change through culture, migration, climate, and other instigating factors.

Both science and culture have shown change among the three that cannot belong on a

continuum.

The first article helped me understand how the scientific studies of the past, and

the social aspects of the human makeup identify sex. Sex is used very commonly to

describe many things in our day and age, such as identity, behavior, hormones, and

genes, both biological and social views. Gender seems to help us address common
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prejudices by placing them in the social interaction of humankind, instead of the

biological realm. Based off the article gender is the social role while sex is where

molecular processes and biological interaction is found. The biological sex of a person

is based off the development and production of the gendered body, however it is a much

more complex argument, dealing with traits of the gender as well as diseases linked to

the sex of a person that is a complex difference between the sexes, even though

someone may identify or feel like they belong in a different sex category. Gender identity

is related to gender role however gender role is often shown in cultural stereotypes and

activities, but gender identity is specific to which category of a gender a person

personally identifies as, without any stereotypes involved.

Disorders of sex Development (DSD) is a major key to understanding the

scientific relation of social decisions people make about their sexuality. It relates to

anything that is different in its gendered component and not functional problems. One

part of the article helped me really understand these concepts was when Crocetti said

Developmental models and epigenetics address this discrepancy between what is

considered the genotype, the genetic material, and the phenotype, referring to not just

how a body looks but also its functional components. In these newer models, the

development of the body is seen to be highly influenced by the functions and processes

of development, not just the genetic material. (Crocetti 2013) This is where DSDs come
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into play in another way, showing that not only does the body sometimes not have both

sex chromosomes but it can also have three sex chromosomes.

The result of three sex chromosomes in an individual is Klinefelters syndrome.

Based off the facts from the article, 1 in 700 people have the syndrome and this could

be increased even more considering the number of people that are not diagnosed. The

reason I am re-establishing this information is because with so many people having

DSDs such as this there are many chances of human variation occurring because of

infertility blocking off some evolutional progression for the obvious fact that there is a

population discrepancy when infertility is among a population.

Another thought that was brought to my mind because of the information given in

the text about hormonal research and the effects of it among non-reproductive systems,

is how hormonal drugs and supplements effect evolution. This may not relate directly to

the text but it does relate directly to the knowledge I possess after researching and living

around hormonal drug use. Our culture seems to depict the perfect male or female

being toned and muscular, and there is an obvious definition of what beauty is, and we

all for the most part long for it, which is why hormonal drugs are so popular among the

present society. Obviously hormonal drug use has relations directly to reproduction,

which directly relates to evolution, because hormones have relations to sex cells and our

reproductive organs, which are used to reproduce, which causes mutation and other
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variations with evolution. So, with many people taking hormonal drugs for various

reasons, such as surpassing athletic potential, or trying to adjust your body to a sex

other than the one that you are biologically born as, are affecting the evolution of our

species by taking the drugs regardless of the side effects that have the potential to

interrupt or cause variation to the future properties that make up mankind. I have

researched steroids thoroughly and know more than the average person about them.

The side effects of the drug can cause hormonal imbalance and in some cases infertility,

which both intervene with evolution. However, hormones do not have a specific sex, yet

they do regulate the gender specific components in a reproductive system, so they can

still cause human variation.

Climactic variations among earth also cause different types of variation, both

developmental and short term. One example is how people in different climates tend to

have different skin tone based off the exposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun. This

causes variation among humans because they need a darker skin tone if they are going

to be exposed to more sunlight, because if they are exposed to too much UV rays and

do not have the darker pigment of skin needed to accommodate such rays, problems

can occur, such as skin cancer or burns. This is one example shown in the second

article that helped me understand the variations that can be caused by climactic
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properties and differences. He explains how the variation of skin color among people is

a result of natural selection.

In conclusion, culture and science seem to have many connections that relate to

human variation and the evolution that is caused by it. The social aspects of mankind

seem to cause variation that is rooted by the cultural differences of a group or people.

The data and scientific evidence behind variation shows more examples of culture

responding to differences of human variation which in turn affects the evolution of

humankind and the cultures among it. Through media we can see how our culture is

affecting these variations of our evolution. While at the same time , through science, we

can observe the facts that engrave the evidence of evolutionary changes caused by

variation.
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REFERENCES CITED

Crocetti, D. (2013). Genes and Hormones: What Make Up an Individuals Sex. In

M. Ah-King (Ed.), Challenging Popular Myths of Sex, Gender and Biology (pp. 23-32).

Switzerland: Springer International.

James, G. D. (2010). Climate-Related Morphological Variation and Physiological

Adaptations in Homo sapiens. In C.S. Larsen (Ed.), A Companion to Biological

Anthropology (pp. 153-166). Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.