"In the early stages of their interaction with their natural environment, humans were greatly influenced by nature. They adapted to the dictates of it." This stage is known as:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Determinism
Geographers describe three ways in which humans and nature have related to each other over time. Which one applies depends on how much technology people have.
Option (1) Determinism — Correct. With very low technology, early humans could not change their surroundings. They listened to nature, feared it and adjusted to it. This stage is environmental determinism.
Option (2) Possibilism — Incorrect. This comes later. With better technology, humans create possibilities with the resources of nature, such as ports on the coasts and health resorts on highlands.
Option (3) Neo-determinism — Incorrect. This is the middle path of Griffith Taylor, also called ‘stop and go determinism’. Humans use nature but obey its limits.
Option (4) Regionalism — Incorrect. Regionalism is not one of the approaches to the human-nature relationship. These are determinism, possibilism and neo-determinism.
NCERT (2026-27): “Naturalisation of Humans and Humanisation of Nature … In the early stages of their interaction with their natural environment humans were greatly influenced by it. They adapted to the dictates of Nature. This is so because the level of technology was very low and the stage of human social development was also primitive. This type of interaction between primitive human society and strong forces of nature was termed as environmental determinism.” |