anthropology

Question 1

Biological Anthropologists

Answer 1

This includes the study of genetics and evolution
Human adaptation and variation
Primates
Human fossil records

Question 2

Paleopathology

Question 3

Bioarchaeology

Answer 3

Bioarchaeology studies human remains and their archaeological context to make interpretations about what they ate, their health, their social status, and more.

Question 4

Paleoanthropology

Answer 4

Study’s human evolution

Question 5

Molecular Anthropology

Answer 5

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.

Question 6

Nutritional Anthropology

Answer 6

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.

Question 7

Human Biology

Answer 7

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

Question 8

Primatology

Answer 8

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

Question 9

Four Main Branches of Cultural Anthropology:

Answer 9

Archaeology

Applied Anthropology

Linguistics

Ethnology

Question 10

Archaeology

Answer 10

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.

Question 11

Applied Anthropology

Answer 11

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

Question 12

Linguistics

Answer 12

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

Question 13

Ethnology and ethnography.

Answer 13

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.

Question 14

Anthropoids:

Answer 14

an animal within the primate suborder Anthropoidea click this icon to hear the preceding term pronounced. Monkeys, apes, and humans are anthropoids.

Question 15

Bipedalism:

Answer 15

referring to walking and running on two feet. Humans are the only fully bipedal primates today.

Question 16

Hominid:

Answer 16

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.

Question 17

Index fossil

Answer 17

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.

Question 18

kinship

Answer 18

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.

Question 19

midden

Answer 19

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.

Question 20

monogamous

Answer 20

having only one mate at a time. Monogamy is rare among nonhuman primates but common among humans.

Question 21

paleoecology

Answer 21

the study of ancient environments.

Question 22

primates

Answer 22

the biological order that includes all humans, apes, monkeys, and prosimians, and closely related animals.

Question 23

primatology

Answer 23

the study of primates and their behavioral patterns. Primatologists usually carry out long term field studies of free-ranging populations.

Question 24

Quadrupedal:

Answer 24

having a four footed means of locomotion. Humans are bipedal all other primates are primarily quadrupedal.

Question 25

ritual

Answer 25

a stylized and usually repetitive act that takes place at a set time and location. Rituals are integral parts of religion, though not all rituals are religious in nature.

Question 26

CULTURAL RELATIVISM

Answer 26

Each culture has its own set of rules that are valid and acceptable
The way people view the world is shared by their culture
This theory was in response to cultural evolutionism (all cultures evolve from savage – barbarian – civilized) an ethnocentric view

Question 27

FUNCTIONS THEORY

Answer 27

Bronislaw Malinowski 1884 – 1942
Everything that exists in a culture serves a purpose for that culture
These purposes are to ensure the long-term survival of the culture
Meeting the needs of individuals makes the culture successful

Question 28

CULTURAL MATERIALISM

Answer 28

Marvin Harris 1927 – 2001
Karl Marx 1818 – 1883
Conditions within the environment influences how cultures develop
Available resources influences how culture develop
Cultures develop by discarding practices that do not add value to the culture
Cultures develop in stages:
Infrastructure: material resources, land technology
Structure: economic, family, political
Superstructure: ideas, values, religion

Question 29

FEMINIST ANTHROPOLOGY

Answer 29

Ernestine Friedl 1920 –
Examined societies by gender roles and power relationships (male dominated, female dominated, egalitarian)
Recognizing connections between power relationships and roles within society
Examine culturally constructed gender roles and myths about gender
Examine marginalized people

Question 30

POST MODERNISM

Answer 30

There is no objective truth
Anthropological knowledge is tempered by the cultural viewpoints of the observer
Studying one’s own culture is likely the most true perspective on that culture
Sam Dunn: subculture of heavy metal fans

Question 31

LINGUISTIC ANTHROPOLOGY

Answer 31

A comparison of languages to identify common historical roots
Create an understanding of cultural origins
Gain a historic understanding of people and cultural interactions

Question 32

STRUCURAL LINGUISTICS

Answer 32

All languages share some basic rules for grammar and sentence structure
Though not all languages are the same there are shared rules among the 5ooo+ languages spoken around the world
Examine the structure of language, what rules exist, how is grammar used
Examines structural similarities in languages, what do languages share

Question 33

SOCIAL LINGUISTICS

Answer 33

Studies how language is used depending on social situations such as status and context
For example saying hello to a close friend vs. saying hello to a teacher vs. saying hello to you parents
How people speak to each other helps us to understand the nature of their relationship – Kinship, Friendship, Professional
Body language is also an area of study and has similar meanings/ implications

Question 34

ARCHEAHOLOGY

Answer 34

Study of past cultures
Finding and carefully excavating remains of people, artifacts to reconstruct and understand the past
Often working with part histories or working with historians to carefully fill in the blanks

Question 35

PREHISTORIC ARCHEOLOGY

Answer 35

Studying cultures of pre-recorded history
Due to a lack of recorded history means anthropologists need to look for clues from seeds, tools, fossils of animals, spread of crops, radiometric / carbon dating

Question 36

ARCHEAOLOGY AND HISTORY

Answer 36

The two disciplines supplement each other
History gives us the context of what life was like (time, place, technology, politics)
Archaeology gives us the flavour of what life was like (foods, rituals, behaviours)
We can examine artifact to better understand our own history
William Rathje - garbage