Characteristics of Humans

The list below is a dynamically growing (and/or changing) list of characteristics of humans. It is used in a systemic analysis using Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) to identify those characteristics that are considered as the most essential descriptors of what is human.

The project aims to use the results in order to propose research and policies that aim to safeguard the basic human characteristics.

Project Leader: Yiannis Laouris

1. Humans have a highly developed and sizable long-term memory
2. Humans have the ability to shift their attention consciously
3. Humans have intuition
4. Humans are capable of abstract reasoning
5. Humans are capable of language
6. Humans are capable of introspection
7. Humans are capable of problem solving
8. Humans are concerned with the meaning of life
9. Humans search for gratification
10. Humans have a sense of curiosity
11. Humans record their history
12. Humans inherit their genetic code to their children
13. Humans are concerned with the inevitability of isolation
14. Humans are concerned with Thanatophobia (the fear of death)
15. Humans eventually die (restricted life span)
16. Humans are uniquely adept at utilizing systems of communication for self-expression the exchange of ideas, and organization
17. Humans create complex social structures composed of many cooperating and competing groups, from families and kinship networks, to nations
18. Humans are capable of social interactions
19. Humans have established an extremely wide variety of values, social norms, and rituals, which together form the basis of human society
20. Humans are a cosmopolitan species (with individuals widespread in every continent except Antarctica)
21. Humans have certain qualities that define them as being humane; kindness
22. Humans are able to express compassion and empathy
23. Humans have the ability to create conditions in order to develop “rights”
24. Humans develop collectively codes of ethics
25. Humans are able to negotiate collectively and reach consensus
26. Humans’ actions are characterized by intention
27. Humans have extremities that allow them to interact and manipulate the world around them
28. Humans experience dreams while they sleep
29. Humans have a theory of mind
30. Humans express and understand humor
31. Humans tend to strive for long-term relations
32. Humans tend to live in pairs for very long times and create families