Anthropology Review sheet PDF

Anthropology Review sheet for Thursday, November 7th/2024 KEY TERMS Anthropology: The study of origin development, customs of humans. Deals with human beings as species and members of different cultures Refer to the “How did human sapiens develop” reading with the chart Australopithecus: An early...

Anthropology Review sheet for Thursday, November 7th/2024 KEY TERMS Anthropology: The study of origin development, customs of humans. Deals with human beings as species and members of different cultures Refer to the “How did human sapiens develop” reading with the chart Australopithecus: An early hominin genus that walked upright Homo habilis: One of the earliest members of the Homo genus, known as the "handyman" for using simple stone tools Homo erectus: An extinct hominin species that was the first to use fire and complex tools Homo Neanderthalis: A close human relative adapted to cold climates, known for their robust build and culture Cro Magnon: Early Homo sapiens known for advanced tools and cave art. Homo sapiens: The species to which all modern humans belong, characterized by complex language, culture, and adaptability Artifacts: things that are human made, and can be picked up and moved. For eg. necklace, jacket, bracelet, etc. Features: Things that are human made but cannot be moved. Eg. Cave paintings, carvings. Non Artifacts: things that are naturally made. Eg. Bones, teeth, hair. Nature/Nurture Debate: A discussion on whether genetics (nature) or environment and upbringing (nurture) play a greater role in shaping human behavior, personality, and intelligence. Physical Anthropology: seeks to understand and define humans' physical or biological nature. seeks to understand and define the physical or biological nature of human beings Kinship: The social bond and relationships among family members, defined by blood ties, marriage, or adoption. Folkways: Norms guiding everyday usages and conventions of everyday life (approved standards of behavior) e.g. respecting elders, smiling, eating etiquette Taboos: Behavior patterns that a culture disapproves of. Melanin: A substance in one’s skin that produces pigment. Exeo-cannibalism: Consumption of outsiders from the group Anthropomorphic: Giving human attributes to animals Bipedalism: Being able to walk upright for long distances, enables us to carry objects & perform tasks while standing. Primates: Are mammals with complex brains, eyes facing forward, and limbs that are adapted for climbing and grasping. Primatology: The study of the anatomy and behaviours of living primates. Evolution: The theory that organisms change structurally and genetically overtime, resulting in gradual development of a new species Natural Selection: The process by which the environment “selects” the individuals best adapted to it. Species with characteristics that help them adapt to their environment survive and pass on those characteristics to offspring. Survival of the fittest: Based on the belief that species struggle to survive. The greater the match between traits of a population and its environments the more surviving offspring Adaptation: A trait or behavior that evolves over time, helping an organism survive and reproduce in its environment. Variation: The genetic differences within and among populations of a species, providing the raw material for evolution. Myths: A belief. Mores: Stronger norms than folkways (Serious rules of conduct) (eg. Infidelity, premarital sex) Body Adornment: The practice of decorating or modifying the body through methods such as tattoos, piercings, hairstyles, and clothing, often to express identity or cultural significance Cultural Relativism: The principle that one should understand and interpret another culture's beliefs, values, and practices from that culture's perspective, rather than judging them by the standards of one's own culture. Autocannibalism: Consumption of self - (torture, nail biting, hair, skin, etc.) Speciation: The process by which one species splits into two or more separate species over time. Paleontologist: A person who studies prehistoric life forms and studies plant and animal fossils. Cultural Anthropology: The study of how culture shapes human ideas and learned behaviour in societies around the world. Culture: All learned behaviors, beliefs, attitudes, values, and ideals of a particular society or population transmitted from generation to generation. Subcultures: A group having social, economic, ethic or other characteristics different from other people within the same culture (ex. Teenagers, skateboarders, teachers, single parents) Counterculture: A culture whose values and norms of behavior deviate from those of mainstream society. (eg. Ku Klux Klan) Non-material aspects: Looking at thoughts and behavior we learn and share with others (eg. values, beliefs, language, rules, family patterns) Material aspects: Looking at all physical objects humans create and give meaning to. (eg. weapons, clothing, cars, schools, books, computers) Ethnocentrism: The belief that one’s own culture or ethnic group is superior to others, often leading to biased judgments. Enculturation: The process by which individuals learn and adopt the values, norms, and practices of their own culture, usually from a young age. Acculturation: The process of cultural exchange and adaptation that occurs when individuals or groups come into contact with a different culture, often adopting some of its traits. Norms: A societies rules of right and wrong behavior Laws: Legal codes e.g. drinking and driving, physical abuse, and criminal activity. Vitamin D: what darker skin people have, what lighter skin people need to protect from the sun and absorb more easily. Endo-cannibalism: Consumption of individuals with a group Prion Disease: Prion disease is thought to be spread by eating the flesh of contaminated animals and humans in addition to being passed on from one generation to the next through genetic inheritance. BRANCHES OF CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY -Archeology: the study of early human and early civilizations -Applied Anthropology: The practical application of anthropological theories, methods and practices to the analysis and solution of problems. -Anthropological linguistics: Linguistic anthropologists study the many ways people communicate across the globe. -Ethnology: The comparative study of cultures, examining similarities, differences, and patterns across different societies. -Ethnography: The in-depth study and detailed description of a specific culture or community, usually based on fieldwork and observations. -Forensic Anthropology: It is when scientific anthropology meets the legal process.Studies bones of humans and primates. CULTURAL TYPES Foraging: A subsistence strategy involving hunting, fishing, and gathering wild plants for food, typical of early human societies. Horticultural: Small-scale farming where people grow crops using simple tools, often combined with hunting or gathering. Agricultural: Large-scale farming with plows, animals, and irrigation to produce surplus crops for communities or trade. Pastoral: A way of life centered on raising and herding livestock, often in areas unsuitable for farming. Industrial: A system of production using complex machinery and factories to mass-produce goods, typical of modern societies. Communication based: Refers to systems or methods of exchanging information, ideas, or emotions, often involving language, gestures, symbols, or technology, as the foundation for interaction within a society or group. KEY FIGURES -Patrick Tierney: An author and anthropologist known for critiquing unethical practices in anthropology. -Raymond Dart: An anthropologist who discovered the Australopithecus fossil in South Africa, supporting the idea of human evolution. -Mary & Louis Leaky: They were anthropologists who reconstructed a human civilization dating back to 100 600 years B.P to over 2 million. -Donald Johanson: The anthropologist most famous for discovering Lucy, the oldest and most complete human ancestor skeleton. -Napoleon Chagnon: An anthropologist known for his sometimes controversial studies of the Yanomami people in the Amazon. -Jane Goodwall: She is celebrated for her groundbreaking research of chimpanzee social and family behaviour. She lived with them, gained their trust, and eventually made many discoveries about them. -Margaret Mead: A cultural anthropologist known for her studies of adolescence and sexuality. She significantly influenced views on cultural diversity. -Dian Fossey: She had the patience to spend years observing the gorillas, and then protected the primates from poachers, she later died while protecting the gorillas by someone unknown. -Charles Darwin: Physical anthropologist that studied in the Galapagos Islands in 1891. He was interested in finches and did research on them. FOCUS QUESTIONS: 1-What is anthropology? What is the difference between physical anthropology and cultural anthropology? Anthropology is the study of lives and cultures of humans alive or dead. The difference between physical and cultural anthropology is that physical anthropology is understanding and defining the physical and biological nature of human beings whereas cultural anthropology is how culture shapes human ideas and learned behavior in societies around the world. 2-What are some biological and social characteristics that make humans unique from other species? - Our brain is unique by having a cerebral cortex that allows us to learn new ideas, skills and activities. - We are bipedal which allows us to walk upright for long distances, enables us to carry objects and perform tasks while standing. - We have an opposable thumb that enables us to grasp and manipulate objects that allows us to utilize tools. 3-What is Darwin's theory of evolution? Darwin's theory of evolution, also known as natural selection, proposes that species change over time as individuals with traits better suited to their environment survive and reproduce more successfully, passing those advantageous traits to future generations. This process, occurring over many generations, leads to adaptation and the emergence of new species. 4-Explain the differences in skin color among the human species.? - Darker Skin means people have lived in sunnier climates. They have more melanin which protects them from ultraviolet rays and sun damage. - Lighter skin absorbs more vitamin D which allows the body to absorb calcium needed for bone growth. 5-What is culture? What are material and non-material aspects of culture? All learned behaviors, beliefs, attitudes, values and ideals of a particular society or population transmitted from generation to generation. 6-What branch of cultural anthropology was used in each of the following case studies: "Otzi, the IceMan" and "Gift Giving Among the Kung"? The “ötzi the IceMan” uses the Archaeology branch of anthropology while “Gift Giving Among the Kung" uses Ethnography. 7-The Village! The village is about a small isolated town that lives in fear of a mysterious creature. The town people follow strict rules in order to avoid the creatures for example never going into town and never going into the forbidden forest. If so, you must ask for permission. But one day Lucius decides to leave the village and bring back a red flower. The color “red” in the village is considered a bad and evil color. The town must avoid the color red because it is threatening to the unknown creatures. Yellow is known as a safety and peacekeeping color among the creatures and the villagers. Every year they must throw a piece of meat into the woods in order to keep the treaty they have with the creatures.