Unit one Flashcards
Anthropology
The scientific study of the development of the human species and the various cultures that make up humanity
Social Anthropology:
Focuses on the social organization of living peoples
Physical Anthropology:
Links with the natural sciences such as biology and genetics (Examines the evolution of human kind over the past few million years and compare the genetic characteristics of humans with biologically similar animals)
Cultural Anthropology:
Examines the and compares the cultures of living people
Notable Scientists for anthro
Louis and Mary Leakey
Dian Fossey
Birute Gladikas
Jane Goodall
Psychology:
The systematic study of people’s thoughts, feeling, and behavior
Behavioral Psychology:
The move towards studying behavior, which is observable and therefore, can be studied more objectively than the invisible mind. The goal of behavioral psychology is “the prediction and control of behavior” (as described by Watson). This school is encouraged to use animals is psychological analysis
Psychoanalysis:
Followers of this school try to probe the innermost feelings (thoughts, feelings, emotions, fantasies, and dreams) of their subjects, with the view to treat patients, patients who suffered anxieties and tensions.
Cognitive Psychology:
Studies how people perceive and deal with the environment, how people learn and remember, where in the human memories are stored, how humans acquire and use language, and how they reason and make decisions.
Notable Scientists for Psychology
Ivan Pavlov
BF Skinner
Sigmund Freud
Piaget
Eriksson
Gilligan
Psychology Disciplinary Research Method:
Experiments
Sociology:
Is the scientific study of the development, structure, and functioning of human society
Sociology Disciplinary Research Method:
Case Study
Interviews
Statistical Analysis
Functionalist School:
The branch that studies society as a whole and analyzes how the parts of a society should work to achieve stability and well-being for all members (like studying the human body and mind)
Conflict School:
The branch of theory based on the work of Karl Marx, that studies how humans compete for scarce resources. Two of the key resources are power and control in society (This is the ability to produce goods, to produce needs and wants).
Symbolic Interactionist School:
The branch that focuses on the belief and actions of individuals and the meanings these individual give to their belief and actions (focus: small-scale interactions between the individuals)
Notable Scientists for Sociology
Karl Marx
Comte
Parsons
Max Weber
Preconceptions
- People tend to generalize from their personal experiences and observations-for accuracy, one needs a much larger and more organized set of observations
- Any objective study in Canadian society will reveal a diversity of experiences that might contrast with one’s own. Be careful of media- portrayals of family are often entertaining and/or controversial
- Academic study of individuals and families in Canada-including reliable research- will lead to clarification of issues- and a stronger foundation
Theoretical Perspectives- ASP: 1. Anthropology
the study of culture (arts, beliefs, habits, institutions, etc. which are characteristic of a specific community, society, or nation).
An understanding of diversity is needed to overcome
“All cultural behavior is ‘invented’ and, as a result, [one] will develop an ability to observe their own culture objectively.”
ETHNOCENTRISM
(evaluating behavior from the point of view of your own culture).
Theoretical Perspectives- ASP: Sociology
explains the behavior of individuals in social groups, families, and society. Social facts, the social sources of behavior that are used to explain rates of behavior are investigated.
More concerned with patterns of behavior observed in large numbers of people or groups rather than with the behavior or individual
Statistical analysis (census, other questionnaires and data collection)-demographic patterns
This helps with policy creation and community planning
Theoretical Perspectives- ASP; Psychology-
study of behavior on mental processes; focus: how the individual thinks.
Use an understanding of mental processes and the characteristic patterns of motivation they call the personality to explain individual behavior
Examine how individuals interact and influence one another
The Origin of the Family
Physically , the human brain is very big.
It is difficult for babies to hold their heads up, so they need a family to help with development
Humans probably lived in hordes or bands like current primate relatives (primates are like monkeys, apes etc..) .
However, humans developed taboos against certain types of aggression and sexual activity to ensure the survival of the species.
Thus, a system of social organization based on kinship, replaced a social hierarchy based on size and strength of the alpha male
Simple division of labour likely existed based on sex age
Survival depended on the success of hunting (males) and gathering (females).
Economics activities were based on mutual co-operations
Timelines of types of families: The Hunter- Gatherers:
Earliest human families
Women were essential to survival as child- bearers- very respected in the social hierarchy
Informal group marriage most prevalent
Family = A group of parents and their children
Division of labor, long-term relationships (reciprocity), regulation of sexual activity, and kinship relationships ensured the survival of all group members from birth to death. (Conway, 1997)
Timelines of types of families: Agricultural families
More work needed to be done, therefore, more children needed to produced
Food was farmed and animals were domesticated (no need for hunting and gathering)
Monogamous marriage became the preference (monogamy-married to one person)
Arranged marriages (enogamy) became more common
Extended families became more prevalent- farming became a family affair and children stayed with the family into adulthood.
Men- Soldiers, Builders, Merchants, Politicians, artisans, etc.
Women? (women had babies)
Women’s responsibilities began to shift inside the household
Food surpluses helped create towns and cities. (rise of civilizations- mesopotamia)
Patriarchy became prevalent-men became the decision makers.
legal definition of family
Family is defined as a unit of emotional and financial dependency, whether it includes single parents with children LGBTQ+ parents, or unmarried couples.
Any legal exclusion for this socially and legally sanctioned state violates human dignity.
Timelines of types of families:
Pre-industrial families
Marriage was solely for economic purposes (no love); married according to economic status
Most couples were monogamous, had fewer children(not much labor needed); the economy was poor. Housing was smaller too.
No time for innocence or playful childhood… economics issues
Reaching the age of 7 or 8- worked and helped with economic subsistence of family; worked according to gender roles.
Cottage industry (shoemaker, blacksmith, work from home) developed, impacting the family dynamic.
European settlers in Canada brought pre-industrial family system
Women’s roles became more defined as the population stabilized- household duties. Men- public figures.
Family included immediate members as well as the apprentices, servants, etc.
Anthropology Disciplinary Research Method:
Field Study: Participant observation
Timelines of types of families: Urban Industrial Families
Post-Industrial Revolution.
Men started to work outside of the house-production of factories in the urban areas
Children no longer required to work and were to attend school until they were 16 (est. 1871)
20th century- families became smaller (decrease in birth rates)
Women were dependent on husbands’ salaries.
The roles of Women was to take care of children; the role of men was that of financial support (breadwinners)
Women were important for child-rearing, but had little say in financial matters of the household.
Timelines of types of families: Contemporary Canadian Families
Beginning in the early 1960’s- women began working outside of home alongside men more prevalently
Dual income families with no children, became more popular (DINK)
Birth rate- 1.7 children per household
More rights for women in the workplace-i.e. maternity leave
Divorce rates increased as divorce was easier to attain
Prior to the post war decade, the great depression made it difficult to pay for the needs of the family.
Shift in immigration-created additional families and more ethnically diverse
Same sex families becoming prevalent.
nucelar families
are families that are just family alone that dont associate with their extended family.
Six functions of Family
- Responsible for the addition of new members of the population through reproduction. Growing population= better economy
- Provide physical care for their members, including the adults, their children, and their dependant early membersHardship occurs if these members receive no care unless society has alternatives
- Socialize children by teaching them skills, knowledge, values, and attitudes of their society.
- Responsible for controlling the behavior of their members to maintain order within the family and society. Monitor and evaluate behavior of individuals and provide feedback. Social control contributes to socialization and protects the reputation of the family.
- Maintain morale and motivate individuals to participate in society- spiritual sense of duty or economic necessity affective nurturance (meeting the emotional needs of individuals) & participation in appropriate social roles
- Economics function of producing and consuming goods and services. Members of family work to produce goods and then use their income to consume the goods and family services for their families
*EXTENDED FAMILY –
TODAY, MULTIPLE PARENTS
AND GRANDPARENTS ARE RECOGNIZED TO BE
IMPORTANT TO THE LIVES OF CHILDREN.
*NUCLEAR FAMILIES –
NO LONGER AS PREVALENT TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY USED TO BE
*TECHNOLOGICAL FAMILY –
CONCEIVING A BABY
WITHOUT HAVING SEXUAL INTERCOURSE.
