Anthro Quiz 1 09 19 2014 What is anthropology The study of human diversity across time and space Also studies adaption humans are the most adaptable species Four subfields of anthropology Socio cultural anthropology also called cultural anthropology study of human society and culture the subfield that describes analyzes interprets and explains social and cultural similarities and differences engage in ethnography and ethnology o Ethnography is fieldwork in a particular cultural setting Requires fieldwork often descriptive group community specific o Ethnology examines interprets and analyzes the results of ethnography the data gathered in different societies Uses data collected from researchers usually synthetic comparative cross cultural Archaeological anthropology reconstructs describes and interprets human behavior and cultural patters through material remains sites where people live or have lived o Based upon artifacts tools weapons buildings plant and animal remain etc Biological anthropology Physical anthropology Human biological diversity in time and space o 5 specialties within human evolution as revealed by the fossil record paleoanthropology human genetics human growth and development Human biological plasticity the living body s ability to change as it copes with stresses such as heat cold and altitude Primatology the biology evolution behavior and social life of monkeys apes and other non human primates o Helps paleoanthropologists who examine skulls teeth and bones to identify human ancestors and to chart changes in anatomy over time o Also includes primatology study of biology evolution behavior and social life of primates which are clues to early human behavior Linguistics anthropology studies language and linguistic diversity in it s social and cultural context across space and time o some linguist anthropologists also make inferences about universal features of language linked perhaps to uniformities in the human brain o Others reconstruct ancient languages by comparing their contemporary descendants and in so doing make discoveries about history o Sociolinguistics investigates relationships between social and linguistic variation What is culture Traditions and customs transmitted through learning that form and guide the beliefs and behavior of the people exposed to them The most critical element of cultural traditions is their transmission through learning rather than through biological inheritance Culture is not itself biological but it rests on certain features of human biology People cannot live isolated 2 6 million years ago capacity of culture the making of tools Universal vs particular aspect of culture Universal found in every culture Particularities unique to certain cultural traditions Generalities common to several but not all human groups may be widespread but not universal Reasons for generalities o Societies can share the same beliefs and customs because of borrowing or through cultural inheritance from a common cultural ancestor o domination as in colonial rule when customs and procedures are imposed on one culture by another one that is more powerful o diffusion cultural borrowing because of cultural borrowing which has accelerated through modern transportation and communication systems traits that once were limited in their distribution have become more widespread cultures are integrated and patterned differently and display tremendous variation and diversity o when culture traits are borrowed they are modified to fit the culture that adopts them Cultural Perspective Ethnocentrism judging culture on values and standards of one s own culture view one s own culture as superior and to use one s own standards and values in judging outsiders Cultural relativism don t judge by outside practices Human rights if woman are forced is it a violation Mechanisms of culture change Diffusion borrowing of traits between cultures o Cultures have never been truly isolated o Diffusion is direct when two cultures trade intermarry or wage war o Diffusion is forced when one culture subjugates another and imposes its customs on the dominated group o Diffusion is indirect when items move from group A to group C via group B without any firsthand contact between A and C Acculturation exchange of cultural features that results when groups have continuous firsthand contact o parts of culture change but each group remains distinct Independent invention human innovate creatively findings solutions to problems Emic Etic perspectives an emic approach investigates how local people think research strategy focusing on local explanations and meanings an etic approach shifts the focus from local observations categories explanations and interpretations to those of the anthropologist research strategy emphasizing the ethnographer s explanations and categories IRB Institutional review board or independent ethics committee or review board Formally designated to approve monitor and review biomedical and behavioral research involving humans They oversee anthropologist s study of humans to make sure that it is conducted in a ethical way Participatory observation Firsthand observation of behavior They put themselves in the situation and live exactly like them Ethnographer eventually grows accustomed to and accepts as normal cultural patters that initially were alien Many ethnographers keep a personal diary and strive to establish rappot a good friendly working relationship based on personal contact with their hosts Participant observation means that we take part in community life as we study it Freelisting Enculturation The process by which a child learns his or her culture Culture is learned Learning culture at a young age Acculturation An exchange of culture features between groups in firsthand contact Encountering a culture and picking up habits Nature Nurture Debate Human attitudes values and behavior are limited not only by our genetic predispositions which are often difficult to identify but also by our experiences during enculturation Our attributes as adults are determined both by our genes and by our environment during growth and development Environmental hypothesis humans have generalized intelligence blank slate Innate intelligence hypothesis humans have specialized intelligence limited by brain structure Agency versus structure Structuralism rests on Levi Strauss s belief that human minds have certain universal characteristics which originate in common features of the Homo