Final answer:
The concept that language influences thought and social behavior is the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, which attributes different perceptions and actions in distinct cultural groups to their specific languages.
Step-by-step explanation:
The idea that language shapes how we think and act as members of different social groups is known as the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis or linguistic relativity. This concept was developed in the 1920s by linguists Edward Sapir and Benjamin Whorf, who proposed that the language we speak affects our perception of reality and consequently, our behavior. For instance, different cultures have varying superstitions around certain numbers based on linguistic associations, such as the number thirteen in the U.S. being considered unlucky, while in Japan, it is the number four due to its similarity in pronunciation to the Japanese word for 'death'. The hypothesis argues that these linguistic differences can influence the way we think about and react to our environment, contributing to our unique cultural experiences.