CA Vocab ( 1A )

100 vocabulary-style flashcards covering core concepts from the Anthropology 120 video notes.

Anthropology

The study of humans and their immediate ancestors, around the world and through time.

Immediate ancestors

The human lineage and close relatives studied in anthropology.

Global scope

Anthropology’s reach to people around the world.

Time depth

Consideration of past, present, and future in studying humanity.

Holistic perspective

An approach that studies the whole human condition—past, present, and future; biology, society, language, and culture.

Holism

The study of the whole of the human condition, across time and domains.

Culture

Traditions and customs that shape beliefs and behavior; transmitted through learning; consistent within a group; open to change.

Traditions and customs

Beliefs and practices that define a group’s way of life.

Transmitted through learning

How culture is passed from one generation to the next.

Consistent within a group

Culture and norms shared among members of a community.

Open to change

Cultures can adapt and transform over time.

Comparison

Examining culture, society, biology, and language across different contexts.

Across space and time

Studying differences and similarities among groups through history and geography.

Culture, society, biology, language

The four domains used for cross-domain study in anthropology.

Why compare?

To identify similarities, differences, universals, and particulars among humans.

Similarities and differences

Commonalities and variations across human groups.

Human universals

Traits or patterns found in all human societies.

Human particulars

Traits unique to specific groups or cultures.

Is there such a thing as human nature?

The debate about whether there is a universal human essence.

Bodley’s three cultural worlds

A framework outlining Tribal, Imperial, and Commercial worlds.

Tribal world

A cultural world consisting of tribes and kin-based communities.

Imperial world

A cultural world organized around chiefdoms and states.

Commercial world

A cultural world linked by the global system of trade and exchange.

Tribal

Relating to traditional, often kin-based social groups.

Imperial

Relating to empires, centralized authority, and state power.

States

Political entities with formal governance structures.

Chiefdoms

Societal organization with ranked authority under a chief.

Global system

Integrated networks of trade and interaction across the world.

Anthropology’s four fields

Biological, Linguistic, Cultural, and Archaeological anthropology.

Biological anthropology

The study of human biological variation through time and today.

Linguistic anthropology

The study of language and linguistic diversity in time, space, and society.

Cultural anthropology

The study of human society and culture across cultures.

Archaeological anthropology

The study of human behavior through material remains (archaeology).

Paleoanthropology

The study of human evolution through fossils.

Human genetics

The study of genetic variation and inheritance in humans.

Human growth and development

Ontogeny; how humans grow and develop through life.

Human biological plasticity

Humans’ ability to adapt biologically to different environments.

Primatology

The study of nonhuman primates and their behavior.

Forensic anthropology

Applying anthropology to legal contexts, including identification of remains.

Paleoecology

Study of ancient environments and how they affected past organisms.

Anthropological archaeology

Study of human behavior and culture through material remains; includes paleoecology.

Material remains

Artifacts and ecofacts that reveal past human activity.

Language and linguistic diversity

Variation in language across time and space.

Time, space, and society

A framework for studying language within historical and social contexts.

Socio-cultural anthropology

The comparative, cross-cultural study of human society and culture.

Cross-cultural study

Analyzing differences and similarities across cultures.

Ethnographic fieldwork

Immersive, on-the-ground research method used to study people and cultures.

Body Ritual of the Nacirema

A satirical ethnography describing American rituals to illustrate cultural bias.

Body Ritual of the Nacirema (satire)

A critique of ethnocentrism by presenting familiar rituals as exotic.

Three cultural worlds (overview)

A framework consisting of Tribal, Imperial, and Commercial worlds.

Global system

Worldwide network of trade and economic exchange.

Chiefdoms

Societal organization with hierarchical leadership and centralized authority.

States (political)

Formal governments and institutions governing large populations.

Paleoenvironment

Ancient environments in which past peoples lived.

Archaeology

The study of human history through material remains.

Archaeological anthropology

The study of human behavior and culture through material remains.

Paleoecology

Study of ancient ecosystems and their influence on past populations.

Linguistic diversity

Variation of language across different groups and regions.

Language

System of symbolic communication used by humans.

Language in society

How language shapes social life and group identity.

Culture as learned

Culture is acquired through learning, not genetic instinct.

Culture is dynamic

Culture changes over time as societies interact and adapt.

Universals vs. particulars

Debate over traits common to all humans versus traits unique to groups.

Field site

Location where anthropologists conduct field research.

Ethnography (method)

Descriptive study of a culture or community through fieldwork.

Cultural learning processes

Mechanisms by which cultures transmit knowledge (e.g., teaching, imitation).

Cross-cultural comparison

Analyzing multiple cultures to identify shared patterns and differences.

Global anthropology

Studying humans worldwide across time and space.

Cross-domain analysis

Examining biology, language, culture, and society together.

Human variation

Diversity in biology and behavior among human populations.

Socio-cultural dynamics

Interactions between social structures and cultural practices.

Archaeological record

Accumulated artifacts and features that document past life.

Paleoanthropology methods

Techniques used to study fossil remains and human evolution.

Biocultural approach

Integrating biology and culture to understand humans.

Cultural relativism

Interpreting a culture on its own terms, without bias.

Ethnographic writing

Documenting field observations into coherent descriptions.

Anthropological theory

Frameworks used to interpret human behavior across subfields.

Primate behavior

Study of social, ecological, and cognitive patterns in primates.

Forensic identification

Determining identity from skeletal remains and associated evidence.

Material culture analysis

Examining artifacts to infer past technologies and practices.

Paleoanthropological chronology

Dating fossil evidence to reconstruct timelines of evolution.

Human biology today

Contemporary biological variation across populations.

Cultural change mechanisms

Processes by which cultures transform over time.

Learning transmission

How cultural knowledge is taught and learned.

Cross-cultural universals

Traits found across many or all human societies.

Particular cultural traits

Distinctive features unique to a specific culture.

Ethnology

Comparative study of peoples and cultures.

Archaeology field techniques

Methods used to uncover and interpret artifacts.

Fieldwork ethics

Moral principles guiding research with human participants.

Human evolution

Biological changes leading to modern humans.

Fossil evidence

Remains that provide data about distant ancestors.

Ontogeny

Developmental biology of an individual organism.

Paleofauna

Ancient animal life found in archaeological contexts.

Genetic variation

Differences in DNA among individuals and populations.

Genomics in anthropology

Using genome data to study human diversity and history.

Cultural diversity

Variation in beliefs, practices, and social norms among groups.

Ethnohistory

Historical records of peoples using ethnographic and documentary sources.

Archaeological interpretation

Drawing conclusions about past societies from material remains.

Paleolithic to Neolithic

Broad prehistoric time periods studied in archaeology and anthropology.

Sociocultural integration

How social structures and cultural practices reinforce each other.