Anthropology mid term Flashcards
What are the goals of anthropology?
How did the human species evolve
Who is Franz Boaz
Father of Anthropology,
American Style
Four field approach
Cultural anthropology
* Archaeology
* Linguistic anthropology
* Biological anthropology
Holism
approach
that recognizes all elements of a
subject must be examined to
understand its entirety
Cultural Relativism
no culture is better than the other they are only different.
Biocultural theory
Biocultural theory, related to the anthropological value of holism, is an integration of both biological anthropology and social/cultural anthropology.
Taxonomic classification
systems
The taxonomic classification system (also called the Linnaean system after its inventor, Carl Linnaeus, domain, kingdom,phylum, class,order and family
Evolutionary theory
Evolution is driven by adaptation
“descent with modification”
Pre-Darwinian ideas (Essentialism)
each living (material) thing
represents the ideal form (or essence) of
that thing, which is unchanging
Pre-Darwinian ideas (The Great Chain of Being)
the
the biological world is full of living things
that are varying degrees of
separation away from
God/perfection
Pre-Darwinian ideas (Catastrophism)
natural
disasters are responsible
for the disappearance of
old species
Pre-Darwinian ideas (Uniformitarianism)
natural
forces in the present
would have had the
same effects on the
landscape in the past
Variation
observations
focused on physical
differences
Natural selection
Heritable biological traits
which are beneficial to
survival is passed on and
amplified
Adaptations
“Physical
characteristics that enhance an
organisms’ ability to survive and
reproduce”
Mendelian inheritance
Discrete physical units
passed from one
generation to the next
in a mathematically
determined pattern
Mendel’s principles
1Fundamental theory of heredity
2 Principle of segregation
3Principle of independent assortment
Evolutionary synthesis
Theory of Evolution (Darwin) +
Theory of Heredity (Mendel)
* Sum of changes in living organisms
over long periods of time
DNA
Phosphate, deoxyribose sugar, 4 types of
nitrogen bases
Genetics
the genetic properties or features of an organism, characteristic
Gene vs. allele vs chromosome
Gene: a unit of heredity which is transferred from a parent to offspring
Allele: An allele is a specific variation of a gene.
Chromosome: a threadlike structure of nucleic acids and proteins carrying genetic information in the form of genes.
Mutations
The changing of the structure of a gene caused by the alteration of single base units in DNA or the deletion, insertion, or rearrangement of larger sections of genes or chromosomes:
Genotype vs. phenotype
Genotype: what the DNA codes for
Phenotype what actually shows.
Gene flow vs. Genetic
drift
Gene Flow: Gradual lessening of variation due commonly a result of migration.
Genetic Drift: Random change in allele
frequency more pronounced effects in
smaller populations.
Speciation
Occurs when genetic variation reaches
a point of reproductive incompatibility
and a split lineage.
Reproductive Isolation
Occurs when circumstances
prevent two populations from
interbreeding, like a mountain or ocean.
Adaptive Radiation
Common ancestor
leads to many closely
related species.
convergent Evolution
Development of similar
species due to similar
variation
* Environmental pressures
* Natural selection
Example of how an
adaptation is the result
of natural selection and
how it might appear in
a species
For example, certain traits or adaptations involving colour, camouflage, food gathering (beaks and claws.
Primate characteristics
- Adapted to life in trees
- Eat a wide variety of food
- Invest a lot of time and care in a few
no offspring
Types of traits (Primitive)
inherited traits from a distant ancestor
Types of traits (Derived)
traits which are more recently appearing
Types of traits (Generalized)
characteristics that are useful for many things
Types of traits (Specialized)
developed for a specific purpose
Strepsirrhini traits and
members
- Most Primitive primates
- Limited geographically
- Lemurs
- Open eye orbit
5 . Smaller brain
Haplorrhines traits and
members
- Found globally
- Enclosed eye orbit
- Larger brains
- Enclosed eye orbit
Evolution of the species
Sexual dimorphism –
what is it and does it
mean?
Sexual dimorphism is the differences between the male and female of a species, if it happens, if means the different sexes have different roles
Why do primates live in
groups?
Some relationships are
established for short term
or immediate needs
* Grooming, food, mating
Why do primates live in
groups?
Some relationships are
established for short term
or immediate needs
* Grooming, food, mating
How is primate culture
relevant to evolutionary
anthropology?
It is relevant as it explains the way we act and the traits we kept as they are still beneficial
Main events/conditions
for primate evolution
- African Exodus
- Climate, ecology, and habitats
altered
Paleocene (Plesiadapiforms Paleocene, 60mya)
Extinct around 56mya(Because of a period of rapid temperature increase and change in climate Globally)
Eocene Euprimates
(56 mya)
First, appear during the period of global
warming leading to tropical conditions.
Many species went extinct at
the end of the Eocene
* Period of cooling temperatures
resulted in climate and
environment change
Oligocene
Primates
(34-23mya)
Rapid global cooling occurred during
the Oligocene epoch (23 – 34 mya)
* Widespread plant and animal extinction
Strepsirrhines are found in one central region at this
time
Miocene
Primates(5 – 23 Mya)
The warming trend in Late Oligocene led
to a shift in climate and habitat. Appearance and spread of
proconsulids (earliest apes)
Proconsuls found in diverse environments and
environmental contexts
Eosimias
dawn monkey, the First true anthropoid and ancestor of
all other anthropoids found in Asia
Biretia
The first haplorrhine out of Africa.
Why Did Primates Emerge(Arboreal hypothesis)
adaptations to life in tree
Why Did Primates Emerge?(Visual predation hypothesis)
hunting in trees
Why Did Primates Emerge?(angiosperm radiation hypothesis)
eating fruit in trees
why
hominins emerged(Hunting Hypothesis)
Any differences between humans and
apes are the result of a shift from arboreal
to terrestrial living and tool use
why
hominins emerged(Patchy Forest Hypothesis)
Suggests early hominins were both arboreal and
terrestrial
* But we find some of the earliest bipedal hominins in
forested habitats
why
hominins emerged(Provisioning Hypothesis)
Bipedalism resulted as a means of
increasing reproduction
Anatomical changes of
bipedalism
Relatively long legs (shorter arms
S-shaped spine
Pre-Australopithecines
Small cranial capacity at 350cc
Very large brow ridge
Australopithecine(1-4mya)
Large premolars/molars
Partially arboreal/bipedal
Australopithecus anamensis,
(3.9-4.2 mya)
Very large canines,
Wide knee joint suggests bipedal
Tool cultures (Oldowan)
early tools were simple, usually made with one or a few flakes chipped off with another stone
Tool culture (Acheulian)
stone tool manufacture characterized by the distinctive oval and pear
Tool culture (Mousterian)
Most modern tools made
Microevolution
evolving over a short time
Macroevolution
evolving over a long period of time
Phyletic gradualism
Speciation is slow, uniform and gradual.
Punctuated equilibrium
evolutionary development
History of race
Physical”
Anthropology
Based on skin color, skull features, and other physical traits
Phenotypic variation
Phenotypic variation occurs when the expression of genes is changed in response to the environment
Genotypic variations
variations in genotypes between individuals of the same species or between different species as a result of genetic mutation, gene flow or something that occurred during meiosis
Examples of modern
human adaptations
For example, the Badjao spearfishermen have a bigger lung capacity and more extensive hands to suit their lifestyle better.
Population genetics (Why do genes change (or not change) in
frequency?)
They can change due to adaptations which are bio cultural.
Neo-Darwinism
Modern Evolutionary
Synthesis Combination of Darwin’s concept
of natural selection and Mendel’s
ideas about heredity.
Geographic cline
gradual change in
phenotypes between
populations
