anthropology Flashcards
(36 cards)
Biological Anthropologists
This includes the study of genetics and evolution
Human adaptation and variation
Primates
Human fossil records
Paleopathology
Bioarchaeology
Bioarchaeology studies human remains and their archaeological context to make interpretations about what they ate, their health, their social status, and more.
Paleoanthropology
Study’s human evolution
Molecular Anthropology
Molecular Anthropology uses genetics to study ancient and modern populations. It uses DNA to study the evolutionary relationships between humans and other primates, and the relationships between different human populations.
Nutritional Anthropology
Nutritional Anthropology studies the relationships between food and nutrition, cultural practices, health, and disease in living people. It also looks at the relationship between culture, diet, and evolution.
Human Biology
Human biology studies human variation and adaptation. For example, these anthropologists study how people who live at high elevations (like in Tibet and Peru) adapt to a life with less oxygen
Primatology
Primatology is the study of non-human primates, like apes, monkeys, and prosimians. Anthropologists study the genetics, anatomy, physiology, and behavior of our closest living relatives to give us a better understanding of ourselves
Four Main Branches of Cultural Anthropology:
Archaeology
Applied Anthropology
Linguistics
Ethnology
Archaeology
Examines the past through archaeological digs to unearth information that is buried or forgotten.
Bits and pieces help researchers put together ideas about how individuals, families and cultures lived together.
Applied Anthropology
Uses research results to solve practical problems for people in different cultures.
It could be solutions from one culture shared to anotherOr it could be solutions from research done in one culture and then solutions applied to the problem.
Concerns:
Being ethnocentric and assuming what a culture needs can be insulting
Linguistics
Studies language changes over time,
Looks at how languages are related and their meaning
Often use primary research such as case studies, interviews, content analysis and participant observation to better understand the use of language in a particular culture
Ethnology and ethnography.
Ethnology: the study of and comparison of past cultures and contemporary cultures
Primary research involves looking at case studies, analyzing data, observations and interviews
Ethnography: in depth description of a particular culture
Primary research is done through participant observation where the anthropologist lives among the culture for a period of time conducting observations and in depth interviews with individuals or groups.
Anthropoids:
an animal within the primate suborder Anthropoidea click this icon to hear the preceding term pronounced. Monkeys, apes, and humans are anthropoids.
Bipedalism:
referring to walking and running on two feet. Humans are the only fully bipedal primates today.
Hominid:
any species of the primate family Hominidae The great apes and humans are the only hominids today, however, there were other species in the past.
Index fossil
remains of a plant or animal of a species that is known to have lived only during a specific time period. The discovery of such a fossil in an archaeological site is circumstantial evidence of the approximate time period that it was occupied. Fossil bones of horse and elephant related species are often used to relatively date fossils of our ancestors. Index fossils are used for biostratigraphy.
kinship
relationships that are recognized between individuals based on family ties. Among humans, those ties are created by marriage and shared descent from ancestors. Among non-human primates, they are due to descent.
midden
an archaeological term referring to composted soil resulting from a refuse heap left by humans in the past. Middens often contain artifacts and food refuse remains such as bone and mollusk shell fragments.
monogamous
having only one mate at a time. Monogamy is rare among nonhuman primates but common among humans.
paleoecology
the study of ancient environments.
primates
the biological order that includes all humans, apes, monkeys, and prosimians, and closely related animals.
primatology
the study of primates and their behavioral patterns. Primatologists usually carry out long term field studies of free-ranging populations.
Quadrupedal:
having a four footed means of locomotion. Humans are bipedal all other primates are primarily quadrupedal.