Final answer:
Human capacity to absorb culture is a biological phenomenon existing for tens of thousands of years and is a cornerstone of cultural evolution with watersheds like agriculture and urbanization, affected by culture lag in societal adaptation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The capacity of humans to absorb culture is a complex biological phenomenon that has existed for tens of thousands of years, deeply intertwined with the evolutionary processes of Homo sapiens. The cultural evolution of our species reflects significant periods of change such as the Early Farming Phase about 12,000 years ago and the advent of urbanization roughly 9,000 years ago. Understanding the length of this capacity involves examining historical trajectories through notable watersheds like the development of agriculture and the rise of cities, alongside the concept of culture lag—the delay between the introduction of material culture and the adaptation of nonmaterial culture that can affect societies in various ways, from infrastructure challenges to responses to ecological crises.