Anth 1006 1st EditionExam # 1 Study Guide Chapter 1: What is Anthropology?What is anthropology?- Anthropology is the study of the human species and its immediate ancestors- Anthropology is a comparative and holistic scienceHolistic- Encompassing past, present and future; biology, society, language and culture- Study of the whole human condition - Not just one society or cultureHuman Diversity- Humans differ biologically and culturally- Anthropology looks to understand these differences and provide explanationsSub-disciplines of Anthropology- Cultural o The comparative cross-cultural study of human society and cultureo Analyzes and interprets and explains cultural similarities and differenceso To study cultural anthropology, anthropologists use ethnography and ethnology- Biologicalo The study of human biological variation/diversity in time and spaceo Also known as “physical anthropology”o Studies 1) Human evolution 2) Human genetics 3) Human Growth/Development 4) Human Biological Ability 5) Primatology- Linguistico The study of language and linguistic diversity throughout time and space in societyo Studies language in social and cultural contento Reconstruct languages and connect to universal features of language- Archaeologyo The study of human behavior through material remains- Applied vs Academic Anthropology o Applied: using anthropology to solve contemporary problemsEthnography- Fieldwork in a particular cultural setting- Provides an account of a particular group, community, society or culture- Ethnographer gets data and present it- NOT “ethnology” which is cross cultural comparisonChapter 2: CultureWhat is culture?- Traditions and customs transmitted through learning- Beliefs, arts, knowledge, morals, law customs, and other capabilities - Not acquired through biology but rather by growing up in a certain society- Extends back 2.6mya to first tool useCharacteristics of Culture- Symbols o something verbal or non-verbal that stands for something else o ex) flags, languages etco symbolic thought is crucial to cultural learning o Allows people to bestow meanings- Culture is Sharedo Culture is an attribute of individuals as members of groupso Shared culture links people togethero Culture is learned by observing, listening, talkingEnculturation- The process by which culture is learned and transmitted across generations- Process by which a child learns their cultureCultural Relativism- The idea that behavior should be evaluated not by outside standards but in the context of culture which it occurs- Inappropriate to use outside standards to judge behavior in a societyEthnocentrism- Judging other cultures using one’s own cultural standards- Tendency to view one’s own culture as superiorMechanisms of Culture Change- Diffusiono Borrowing of cultural traits between societieso Cultures are never truly isolatedo Direct diffusion: trading/marrying/waging waro Forced diffusion: When one culture forces itself upon another groupo Indirect diffusion: When it just happens by cultures mixing by accidento Today due to media and technology- Acculturationo An exchange of cultural features between groups in continuous firsthand contact o Parts of each culture changes, but each remains distincto Example: words from other languages incorporated into English, food, tools, music…- Independent Inventiono The independent development of a cultural feature in different societieso The process by which humans innovate, creatively finding solutions to problemso Ex: agriculture changes lead to social, political and legal changesCultural Adaptations- Culture is the MAIN reason for adaptability and success- Example: using technology or toolsChapter 4: Studying the PastPaleontologyStudy of ancient life through fossil remainsPaleoanthropology- Study of hominid, hominin, and human life through fossil record. - Study of human life and their immediate ancestors. Archaeology- Reconstruct past societies and behaviors through excavating remainsSystematic Survey- Study of settlement patterns over a large area- Walking over area and recording location and size of all materials- Provides a regional perspective by gathering information on settlement patternso Settlement patterns: how people grouped themselves and interactedo Where were sites located? How big were they and the buildings?ExcavationDigging through layers at a site TaphonomyStudying processes that affect dead animals: scattering by carnivores and scavengers, distortion by various forces, and possible fossilization Physical Anthropology- Studies biological characteristics- 5 Subfields: Evolution, genetics, growth, biological adaptability, and primatologyRelative Dating – Stratigraphy- Stratigraphy: The study of earth sediments deposited in demarcated layers (strata)o The way in which earth sediment acculumateso Age GENERALLY increases the deeper you go- Relative datingo Establishing a time frame in relation to other strata or materialso Determining which objects are older and which objects are youngero Stratigraphy permits relative dating – lower layers are older. Remains found at the same level are the same age. Absolute Dating- Can trace remains back to an exact time period (more specific than relative dating)- Carbon Datingo Used to date organic materials up to 40,000 years oldo Measures radioactive decay of Carbon-14o With death, organisms stop adsorbing Carbon 14- Potassium argon (K/A Technique)o Used to date volcanic rock older than 500.000 years oldo K-40 (potassium) is a radioactive isotope and gradually breaks down into argon-40o Half life 1.3 billion years - Dendrochronologyo Tree ring dating based on the study and comparisons of patterns of tree ring growtho Trees add 1 ring every yearo Shows climate and when even certain structures were builtChapter 5: Evolution and GeneticsCatastrophism- Belief that Earth was affected by sudden, short lived, violent events worldwide in scope (fires, floods, etc. – some relating to biblical events)- “Theory” these events destroyed ancient species- Problem If ancient species were destroyed, why are species today so similar?Creationism- Belief that God created all life in 6 days according to the bible- Similarities and differences in humans originated at creation- Oct 23, 4004 BC 9 am “theory”- Problem if all life originated at the same time and did not change – why weren’t ancient species still around?Uniformitarianism- Belief that natural forces at work today also
View Full Document