Anth - Chap 1 & 2 Flashcards
anthropology
a discipline of infinite curiosity about human beings; the study of human beings
Anthropological linguistics
the anthropological studies of linguistics
holistic
multifaceted approach to the study of human beings
biological (physical) anthropology
seeks to answer two distinct sets of questions; first set includes questions about the emergence of humans & their later evolution (this focus is called human paleontology or paleoanthropology). the second set includes questions about how and why contemporary human populations vary biologically (this focus is called human variation); the study of the non-cultural, or biological, aspects of humans and near humans. Biological anthropologists are usually involved in one of three different kinds of research: 1) non-human primate studies (usually in the wild), 2) recovering the fossil record of human evolution, and 3) studying human biological diversity, inheritance patterns, and non-cultural means of adapting to environmental stresses. Biological anthropology is also referred to as physical anthropology.
human paleontology
questions about the emergence of humans and their later evolution
human paleontology or paleoanthropology
questions about the emergence of humans and their later evolution
primatologists
anthropologists, psychologists, and biologists who specialize in the study of primates
Homo sapiens
all living people belong to one species
fossils
the buried, hardened remains or impressions of humans, prehumans, & related animals
archaeology
the study of past cultures, primarily through their material remains (artifacts)
prehistory
the time before written records
ethnology
the comparative/cross-cultural study of cultures; study of existing & recent cultures; now usually referred to by the parent name, cultural anthropology
historical archaeology
studies the remains of recent peoples who left written records; employs the methods of both archaeologists & historians to study recent societies for which there is both archaelogical & historical info
historical linguistics
the study of how languages change over time & how they may be related
sociolinguistics
the study of how language is used in social contexts
descriptive (structural) linguistics
the study of how contemporary languages differ, especially in their construction
ethnographers
one type of ethnologist; usually spend a year or so living with, talking to, and observing the people whose customs they are studying
ethnography
the study of a specific culture; the data for a detailed description of customary behavior & thought
ethnography
the study of a specific culture; the data for a detailed description of customary behavior & thought; anthropological research in which one learns about the culture of another society through fieldwork and first hand observation in that society.
cultural anthropology
divided into 3 major subfields–archaeology, linguistics, & ethnology; the study of contemporary and recent historical cultures all over the world. The focus is on social organization, culture change, economic and political systems, and religion. Cultural anthropology is also referred to as social or sociocultural anthropology.
artifacts
material remains modified by man that can be removed from a site (pottery, tools)
primates
the biological order of animals that includes humans, apes, monkeys, and prosimians.
applied (practicing) anthropology
using the knowledge of anthropology to address human real-world problems; crossing different branches of anthropology to solve a problem
features
material remains modified by man that cannot be removed from a site (bridge, building foundation)
ecofacts
things naturally occurring on the landscape that can give us insight into human behavior (pollen, seeds); tells us something about the environment (i.e. bowl made from teak)
enculturation
the process of acquiring culture; it is learned
cultural universals
behavior patterns, cultural characteristics, & institutions that are found in all cultures of the world
culture shock
the sense of discomfort & stress associated with being in an unfamiliar culture
small scale society
a society that has a low population & limited technology or job specialization; not primitive
culture
set of learned behaviors & ideas (including beliefs, attitudes, values, & ideals) that are characteristic of a particular society or other social group
society
group of people who occupy a particular territory & speak a common language not generally understood by neighboring peoples
norms
standards or rules about what is acceptable behavior
ethnocentrism
attitude people hold when they judge other cultures solely in terms of their own culture
cultural relativism
society’s customs & ideas should be described objectively & understood in the context of that society’s problems & opportunities
maladaptive customs
those that diminish the chances of survival & reproduction & are likely to disappear
adaptive customs
customs of a society that enhance survival & reproductive success are are likely to persist
(cultural) diffusion
the process by which cultural elements are borrowed from another society & incorporated into the culture of the recipient group
acculturation
process of change; refers to the changes that occur when different cultural groups come into intensive contact
globalization
“the massive flow of goods, people, info, & capital across huge areas of the earth’s surface”
Paleontologists or Paleo anthropologists
study fossils
“paleo”
the past
medical anthropology
study the cultural & biological contexts of human health & illness
forensic anthropology
a specialty of biological anthropology; are employed around the world principally by police, courts, and international organizations to identify murder and disaster victims. They do this mostly from skeletal remains and DNA.
evolution
genetic change in a population of organisms that occurs over time. The term is also frequently used to refer to the appearance of a new species.
paleoanthropology
the study of early forms of humans and their primate ancestors. It is similar to paleontology except its focus is documenting and understanding human biological and cultural evolution. they do not look for dinosaurs and other early creatures. However, like paleontology, the data for paleoanthropology is found mainly in the fossil record.
subculture
Commonly shared customs of a group within a society
cultural integration
elements or traits that make up that culture are not just a random assortment of customs but are mostly adjusted to or consistent with one another; when you change one aspect of a culture, it will affect another
Human variation
Questions about how & why contemporary human populations vary biologically
Cross-cultural researcher
Interested in discovering general patterns about cultural traits–what is universal, what is variable, why traits vary, & what the consequence of the variability might be; may be a cultural anthropologist or some other kind of social scientist
Biological (physical) anthropology
Concerned primarily with biological or physical characteristics of human populations
Cultural anthropology
Interested principally in cultural characteristics
Tabula rasa
We are born without any preconceived ideas of how to act or behave or what’s important to culture
Enculturation
Process of learning; we learn from media, tv, body posture
