CHAPTER 1 WHAT IS ANTHROPOLOGY CHAPTER OVERVIEW This chapter examines how American anthropology contributes a holistic perspective to the study of the human condition By focusing on anthropology s biocultural approach Kottak examines the role that culture plays by influencing athletic ability and body shape The chapter introduces students to the four subfields of American anthropology and to the work of applied anthropologists It also discusses how anthropology forms interdisciplinary alliances with other academic fields as a member of both the sciences and the humanities Finally the chapter shows how anthropology can be applied and useful outside of academia CHAPTER OBJECTIVES 1 Understand what is meant by the statement anthropology is the holistic and comparative study of humanity Anthropology is the systematic exploration of human biological and cultural diversity across time and space Examining the origins of and changes in human biology and culture anthropology provides explanations for similarities and differences among humans and their societies 2 Know the four primary types of human adaptation and consider why their Adaptation interrelationship has been particularly important for the human species refers to the processes by which organisms cope with environmental forces and stresses such as those posed by climate and terrains Form of Adaptation Technology Type of Adaptation Cultural Genetic adaptation occurs over generations Long term physiological adaptation occurs during growth and development of the individual organism Short term physiological adaptation occurs spontaneously when the individual organism Biological Biological Biological Example Pressurized airplane cabin with oxygen masks Larger barrel chests of native highlanders More efficient respiratory system to extract oxygen from thin air Increased heart rate hyperventilation enters a new environment 3 Understand how culture can determine body shape of individuals Anthropology s comparative biocultural perspective recognizes that environmental factors including customary diet and other cultural forces constantly mold human biology Biocultural refers to the inclusion and combination of both biological and cultural perspectives and approaches to comment on or solve a particular issue problem Culture is a key environmental force in determining how human bodies grow and develop Cultural traditions promote certain activities and abilities discourage others and set standards of physical wellbeing and attractiveness Bodies vary from culture to culture and within one culture over time 4 Be able to identify distinguish and describe the four subfields of American anthropology Know what distinguishes ethnography and ethnology Cultural Anthropology the study of human society and culture the subfield that describes analyzes interprets and explains social and cultural similarities and differences o To study and interpret cultural diversity cultural anthropologists engage in two kinds of activity Ethnography Ethnology provides an account of a particular community society or culture p 13 compares the results of ethnography to compare and contrast and to make generalizations about society and culture examines interprets analyzes and Archaeological Anthropology reconstructs describes and interprets human behavior and cultural patterns through material remains At sites where people live or have lives archaeologists find artifacts material items that humans have made used or modified such as tools weapons camp sites buildings and garbage Plant and animal remains and ancient garbage tell stories about consumption and activities Wild and domesticated grains have different characteristics which allow archaeologists to distinguish between gathering and cultivation Examination of animal bones reveals the ages of slaughtered animals and provides other information useful in determining whether species were wild or domesticated By collecting and analyzing such data archaeologists are able to answer many questions and then reconstruct patterns of production trade and consumption and space p 16 human biological diversity in time Biological Physical Anthropology studies language in its social and cultural Linguistic Anthropology context across space and over time offers further illustration of anthropology s interest in comparison variation and change Linguistic anthropologists study linguistic differences to discover varied perceptions and patterns of thoughts in different cultures Cultural anthropology explores the cultural diversity of the present and the recent past Archaeology reconstructs cultural patterns often of prehistoric populations Biological anthro documents diversity involving fossils genetics growth and development bodily responses and nonhuman primates Linguistic anthro considers diversity among languages and also studies how speech changes in social situations and over time 5 Understand why anthropology is considered a social science and how it integrates scientific and humanistic perspectives 6 Identify the kinds of work in which applied anthropologists from all four subfields and applied medical anthropology may engage and the aspects of anthropology that make it uniquely valuable in application to social problems The Four Subfields and Two Dimensions of Anthropology Anthropology s Subfields General Anthropology Cultural anthropology Archaeological anthropology Biological or physical anthropology Linguistic anthropology Examples of Application Applied Anthropology Development anthropology Cultural resource management CRM Forensic anthropology Study of linguistic diversity in classrooms IN ADDITION Know what it means when we say anthropologists try to make the familiar seem strange and the strange seem familiar Understand the scientific method and how this is applied in anthropology Know what the other social sciences are and how anthropology differs and resembles these other social sciences Know how the subfields can be further distinguished For instance physical anthropology can be further divided into primatology paleoanthropology and human variation