Chapter 1 Flashcards
savanna
large flat grassland with scattered trees & shrubs; found in many regions of the world with dry and warm/hot climates
hominins
colloquial term for members of the evolutionary group that includes modern humans and now-extinct bipedal relatives
species
group of organisms that can interbreed to produce fertile offspring; members of one species are reproductively isolated from members of all other species (they cannot mate with them to produce fertile offspring)
bipedally
on two feet; habitually walking on two legs
anthropology
field of inquiry that studies human culture and evolutionary aspects of human biology; includes cultural anthropology, archaeology, linguistics, and physical/biological anthropology
primates
members of the mammalian order Primates, which include lemurs, lorises, tarsiers, monkeys, apes, and humans
evolution
change in the genetic structure of a population; also frequently used to refer to the appearance of new species
adaptation
anatomical, physical, or behavioral response of organisms or populations to the environment; result from evolutionary change (result of natural selection)
genetic
having to do with the study of gene structure and action and the patterns of inheritance of traits from parent to offspring; genetic mechanisms are the foundation of evolutionary change
behavior
anything organisms do that involves action in response to internal or external stimuli; response of an individual, group, or species to its environment - such responses may or may not be deliberate, and they aren’t necessarily the result of conscious decision making (absent in single-celled organisms, insects, and others)
continuum
set of relationships in which all components fall along a single integrated spectrum (ex: color); all life reflects a single biological continuum
culture
behavioral aspects of human adaptation, including technology, traditions, language, religion, marriage patterns, and social roles; a set of learned behaviors transmitted from one generation to the next by nonbiological (nongenetic) means
worldview
general cultural orientation or perspective shared by the members of a society
biocultural evolution
mutual interactive evolution of human biology and culture; concept that biology makes culture possible and that developing culture further influences the direction of biological evolution; a basic concept in understanding the unique components in human evolution
applied anthropology
practical application of anthropological and archaeological theories and techniques; ex: many biological anthropologists work in the public health sector
ethnographies
detailed descriptive studies of human societies; traditionally the study of a non-Western society in cultural anthropology
artifacts
objects or materials made or modified for use by hominins; earliest artifacts are usually tools made of stone or bone
paleoanthropology
interdisciplinary approach to the study of earlier hominins - their chronology, physical structure, archaeological remains, habitats, etc.
primate paleontology
study of fossil primates, especially those that lived before the appearance of humans
DNA
(deoxyribonucleic acid); the double-stranded molecule that contains the genetic code; main component of chromosomes
osteology
study of skeletal material; human osteology focuses on interpretation of skeletal remains from archaeological sites, skeletal anatomy, bone physiology, and growth and development; some of the same techniques are used in paleoanthropology to study early hominins
bioarchaeology
study of skeletal remains from archaeological sites
paleopathology
branch of osteology that studies the evidence of disease and injury in human skeletal (or, occasionally, mummified) remains from archaeological sites
forensic anthropology
applied anthropological approach dealing with legal matters; forensic anthropologists work with coroners and others in identifying and analyzing human remains
primatology
study of the biology and behavior of nonhuman primates (lemurs, lorises, tarsiers, monkeys, and apes)
science
body of knowledge gained through observation and experimentation; from the Latin “scientia”, meaning “knowledge”
hypotheses
provisional explanation of a phenomenon; require verification or falsification through testing
empirical
relying on experiment or observation; from the Latin “empiricus”, meaning “experienced”
scientific method
approach to research whereby a problem is identified, a hypothesis is stated, and that hypothesis is tested by collecting and analyzing data
data
facts from which conclusions can be drawn; scientific information
quantitively
pertaining to measurements of quantity and including such properties such as size, number, and capacity; when data are quantified, they’re expressed numerically and can be tested statistically
scientific testing
precise repetition of an experiment or expansion of observed data to provide verification; the procedure by which hypotheses and theories are verified, modified, or discarded
quadrupedal
using all four limbs to support the body during locomotion; the basic mammalian (and primate) form of locomotion
ethnocentric
viewing other cultures from the inherently biased perspective of one’s own culture; often causes other cultures to be seen as inferior to their own
relativistic
viewing entities as they relate to something else; cultural relativism: view that cultures have merits within their own historical and environmental contexts
