CH 1 ANTHROPOLOGY – Flashcards
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anthropology
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the study of humankind in all times and places
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holistic perspective
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a fundamental principle of anthropology, that the various parts of human culture and biology must be viewed in the broadest possible context in order to understand their interconnections and interdependence
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ethnocentrism
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the belief that the ways of one's own culture are the only proper ones
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culture-bound theories
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theories about the world & reality based on the assumptions and values of one's own culture
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4 fields of anthropology
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1) cultural anthropology; 2) linguistic anthropology; 3) archaeology; 4) biological (physical) anthropology
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applied anthropology
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the use of anthropological knowledge and methods to solve practical problems, often for a specific client
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medical anthropology
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the specialization in anthropology that brings theoretical and applied approaches from cultural & biological anthropology to the study of human sickness & health
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cultural (social/sociocultural) anthropology
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the study of customary patterns in human behavior, thought, & feelings; focuses on humans as culture-producing and culture-reproducing creatures
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culture
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a society's shared & socially transmitted ideas, values, and perceptions that are used to make sense of experience and generate behavior and are reflected in behavior
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ethnography
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a detailed description of a particular culture primarily based on fieldwork
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fieldwork
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the term anthropologists use for on-location research
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participant observation
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in ethnography; the technique of learning a people's culture through social participation and personal observation within the community being studied, as well as interviews & discussion w/ individual members of the group over an extended period of time
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ethnology
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the study & analysis of different cultures from a comparative/historical point of view; uses ethnographic accounts and developing anthropological theories that help explain why certain important differences/similarities occur among groups
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linguistic anthropology
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the study of human languages
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archaeology
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the study of human cultures through the recovery & analysis of material remains and environmental data
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historical archaeology
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the archaeological study of places for which written records exist
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bioarchaeology
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the archaeological study of human remains, emphasizing the preservation of cultural/social processes in the skeleton
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cultural resource management
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a branch of archaeology concerned w/ survey and/or excavation of archaeological & historical remains that might be threatened by construction or development; also involved w/ policy surrounding protection of cultural resources
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biological (physical) anthropology
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the systematic study of humans as biological organisms
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molecular anthropology
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the anthropological study of genes & genetic relationships; contributes significantly to our understanding of human evolution, adaptation, & diversity
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paleoanthropology
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the anthropological study of biological changes through time (evolution) to understand the origins & predecessors of the present human species
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biocultural approach
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approach that focuses on the interaction of biology & culture
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primatology
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study of living and fossil primates
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forensic anthropology
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the analysis of human biological and cultural remains for legal purposes
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empirical approach
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approach based on observations of the world, not on intuition/faith
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hypothesis
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a tentative explanation of the relationships among certain phenomena
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theory
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an explanation of cultural or natural phenomena, supported by reliable data
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doctrine
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an assertion of opinion or belief formally handed down by an authority as true/indisputable
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artifact
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any object fashioned or altered by humans
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material culture
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the durable aspects of culture such as tools, buildings, & art objects
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ecofacts
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the natural remains of plants & animals found in the archaeological record
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features
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non-portable archaeological elements, such as architecture
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fossil
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the preserved remains of past life forms
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sites
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places containing remains of past human activity
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soil marks
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the stains that show up on the surface of recently plowed fields; reveal an archaeological site
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middens
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refuse or garbage disposal areas in prehistoric sites
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grid system
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a system for recording data from an archaeological excavation into 3D
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datum point
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the starting point or reference for a grid system
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relative dating
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designating an event/object/fossil as being older/younger than another by noting the position in the earth, by measuring the amount of chemicals contained in fossil bones and artifacts, or through association w/ other plant/animal/cultural remains
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absolute (chronometric) dating
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dating archaeological or fossil materials in units of absolute time using scientific properties such as rates of decay of radioactive elements
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ethnographic fieldwork
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on-location participatory research to gather in-depth info on a society's customary ideas, values, & practices
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key consultants
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members of the society being studied who provide info that helps the researchers understand the meaning of what they observe --->early anthropologists referred to such individuals as "informants"
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informal interview
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in ethnography, a research technique involving an unstructured, open-ended conversation in everyday life
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formal interview
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a structured Q/A session, carefully notated as it occurs & based on prepared questions
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eliciting devices
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activities/objects used to draw out individuals & encourage them to recall and share info
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Human Relations Area Files (HRAF)
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a vast collection of cross-indexed ethnographic, biocultural, & archaeological data catalogued by cultural characteristics & geographic location; archived in ~300 libraries
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informed consent
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a formal recorded agreement between the subject & the researcher to participate in the research; legally required for researchers in many countries
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globalization
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worldwide interconnectedness, evidenced in global movements of natural resources, trade goods, toxins, human labor, finance capital, information, & infectious diseases
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genetic analysis indicates that the first human ancestors originated
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5-8 mya
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"prehistory"
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period when there was no written record
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how anthropologists study culture
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they study a society's shared & socially transmitted ideas
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how anthropology is different from other disciplines
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Anthropology emphasizes the study of non-Western societies and a holistic approach based on detailed studies of all aspects of human biology, behavior, and beliefs in all known societies, past and present. In anthropology, the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences come together into a genuinely humanistic science, which attempts to convey the experience of living in different cultures.
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The enlargement of the right heart ventricle among Quechua Indians is an adaptation to
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high altitude
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individuals in all 4 subfields of anthro practice
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applied anthropology
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languages
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the most distinctive feature of the human species
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physiological adaptations
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short-term biological changes in response to particular environmental stimuli
