biological determinism

noun

The hypothesis that biological factors such as an organism's genes (as opposed to social or environmental factors) determine the majority of psychological and behavioural traits.

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Meanings

nounbiological determinism (uncountable)
  1. uncountableThe hypothesis that biological factors such as an organism's genes (as opposed to social or environmental factors) determine the majority of psychological and behavioural traits.
    1 more example

    Some of the definitions of feminism floating around the peace movement these days sound like little more than a call to validate Victorian cultural femininity. 'Women are peacemakers, men are warriors. […] Feminism is about love and nurturance. As mothers we know about that.' This is biological determinism.

    1982 April 15, Donna Warnock, “Feminism and Militarism: Can the Peace Movement Reach Out?”, in Win
  2. uncountableThe interpretation of humans and human life from a strictly biological point of view.

    Roe V. Wade: a flawed, but revolutionary pronouncement, the first real break in the prison of biological determinism that has kept women in their place.

    1983 February 5, Rhonda Copelon, quotee, “Roe v. Wade: The Challenge of the Next Decade”, in Gay Community News, volume 10, number 28, page 5
Cite this entry
APA

biological determinism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/biological%20determinism

MLA

“biological determinism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/biological%20determinism. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “biological determinism,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/biological%20determinism.

Source: biological determinism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.