Ch. 1 Flashcards
Anthropology
The biological study of the human species. Anthropology includes the study of human biology, human physical evolution, human cultural evolution, and human adaptation
Applied Anthropology
Anthropology used to address current practical problems and concerns
Archeology
A subfield of anthropology that studies the human cultural past and the reconstruction of past cultural systems
Belief Systems
Ideas that are taken on faith and cannot be scientifically tested. Examples are religions, philosophers, and ethical and moral beliefs. Compare with scientific method.
Bioanthropology
Another name for biological anthropology
Biocultural
Focusing on the interaction of biology and culture
Biological Anthropology
A subfield of anthropology that studies as a biocultural species
Cultural Anthropology
A subfield of Anthropology that focuses on human cultural behavior and cultural systems and the variation in cultural expression among human groups
Culture
Ideas and behaviors that are learned and shared. Also, the system is made up of the sum total of these ideas and behaviors that is unique to a particular society. Nonbiological means of adaptation
Deduction
Suggesting specific data that would be found if a hypothesis were true, a step in the scientific method of involving the testing of hypotheses.
Forensic Anthropologist
A scientist who applies anthropology to legal matters, usually in the form of identifying skeletal remains and assessing the time and cause of death
Holistic
Assuming an interrelationship among the parts of a subject. Anthropology is a holistic discipline.
Human Ecology
A specialty of anthropology that studies the relationships between humans and their environments.
Hunter-gatherers
Societies that rely on naturally occurring sources of food. They have no domestic plants or animals except, perhaps, dogs.
Hypotheses
Educated guesses to explain natural phenomena. In the scientific method, hypotheses must be testable.
Induction
Developing a general explanation from specific observations. The step in the scientific method that generates hypotheses.
Linguistic Anthropology
A subfield of anthropology that studies language as a human characteristic and attempts to explain the differences among languages and the relationship between a language and the society that uses it.
Osteology
The study of structure, function, and evolution of the skeleton
Paleoanthropology
A specialty that studies the human fossil record
Physical Anthropology
The traditional name for biological anthropology
Primates
Large-brained, mostly tree-dwelling mammals with three-dimensional color vision and grasping hands. Humans are primates.
Primatology
A specialty of anthropology that studies nonhuman primates
Science
The method of inquiry that requires the generation, testing, and acceptance or rejection of hypotheses
Scientific Method
The process of conducting scientific inquiry
Species
A group of organisms that can produce fertile offspring among themselves but not with members of other groups. A closed genetic population, usually physically distinguishable from other populations.
Theory
A well-supported general idea that explains a large set of factual patterns. In science, theory is a positive term.
