Anthropology unit 2 quiz

Ethnology

The study of the origins, daily life, and cultural practices of different peoples across areas like marriage, religion, politics, and technology.

Participant observation

A primary research method in ethnology where the researcher lives among a group, takes field notes, and actively engages in their customs to understand their perspective.

Ethnography

A detailed written account and analysis of a specific culture based directly on field observations and research.

What’s the difference between ethnology and ethnography?

Ethnography describes a particular culture in detail, while ethnology compares cultures to identify similarities, differences, and broader patterns.

Linguistic anthropology

The study of human language and how language expresses, influences, and reflects culture, identity, relationships, and social behaviour.

Historical linguistics

The subfield of linguistic anthropology that compares language structures to trace how languages change over time and reconstruct ancestral migration patterns.

Structural linguistics

The subfield of linguistic anthropology focused on the underlying systems, structural rules, and sound combinations that create meaning in speech.

Universal grammar

Noam Chomsky's linguistic theory proposing that all human beings possess an innate biological capability and shared structural principles for acquiring language.

Sociolinguistics

The subfield of linguistic anthropology investigating how language, dialect, and body gestures are used to communicate social status and adapt to different social contexts.

Prehistoric archaeology

The archaeological study of ancient societies that existed before the emergence of written historical records, relying purely on physical remains.

Archaeology and history

Uses physical evidence to supplement written historical records, which may be incomplete.

For example: studying ancient tobacco seeds can help researchers understand trade routes, migration, and cultural practices

Cultural relativism

The approach of understanding a culture according to its own beliefs, values, and circumstances rather than judging it using the standards of another culture. It recognizes that cultural practices should be understood within their historical and social context.

Functional theory

The theory that cultural practices and institutions serve particular functions for individuals or society. Functionalist anthropologists investigate how a cultural practice contributes to the operation or stability of a society.

Ethnocentrism

The practice of evaluating and judging other cultures based on the preconceived standards and perceived superiority of one's own culture.

Cultural materialism

A theoretical framework pioneered by Marvin Harris asserting that practical material conditions, such as technology, environment, climate, and food supply, are the primary drivers shaping a culture.

Feminist anthropology

An approach that examines how culturally constructed gender roles, power imbalances, and inequalities affect people's lived experiences, ensuring women's perspectives are documented.

Postmodernism

Questions whether research can be completely objective and examines the researcher's perspective and biases.

Subculture

A smaller group within a larger culture that shares a distinctive system of values, beliefs, attitudes, behaviours, and lifestyle.

Physical anthropology

The study of humans from a biological perspective, including human evolution, physical characteristics, relationships with other primates, and variation among humans.

Paleoanthropology

The branch of physical anthropology that studies human biological evolution and ancient ancestors through the examination of fossil skeletal remains and early stone tools

Charles Darwin

Developed the theory of evolution by natural selection

Louis Leakey

Studied human origins and encouraged research on great apes to help understand human evolution

Donald Johanson

A paleoanthropologist known for research in human evolution.

Hominin

A member of the human evolutionary group that includes modern humans and extinct species more closely related to humans than to chimpanzees.

Bipedalism

The ability to move using two legs. Upright walking is an important characteristic in the study of human evolution.

Australopithecus afarensis (Lucy)

A fossil hominin discovered by Donald Johanson in Ethiopia in 1974 that provided critical scientific evidence of early hominin bipedalism.

Primatology

The scientific study of non-human living primates, focusing on their anatomy, social structures, tool use, and communication

How do primatologists study primates?

They observe primates in their natural habitats or laboratories. Field researchers study natural social behaviours, while laboratory researchers can study communications in bigger detail.

Jane Goodall

The primatologist who conducted groundbreaking field research on wild chimpanzees in Tanzania, discovering that they make and use tools and form complex social bonds.

Dian Fossey

The primatologist encouraged by Louis Leakey who performed extensive long-term field studies on mountain gorillas in Rwanda.

Birutė Galdikas

The primatologist who dedicated decades to conducting field research on the ecology, behaviour, and social dynamics of wild orangutans in Borneo.

Physical similarities that humans and other primates share

They have grasping hands and feet, rotating forearms, forward-facing eyes, and relatively large brains. These characteristics help with movement, handling objects, and judging distances.

Social similarities that humans and primates share

They form social relationships, care for their young, communicate, groom one another, learn from experience, and display emotions. Many primate societies also have dominance hierarchies.

What did Jane Goodall discover about chimpanzee tool use?

She observed chimpanzees modifying branches to obtain termites. This challenged the belief that humans were the only primates capable of making and using tools.

Differences between humans and other primates

Humans walk upright on two legs and use highly complex language. Humans also develop complex technologies and cultural systems, although other primates demonstrate tool use, learning, and social complexity.

Primate communication

They communicate through facial expressions, touch, vocalizations, and body language

Example of primates learning to communicate w humans

Kanzi, a bonobo studied by Sue-Savage Rumbaugh using symbols on a board

Human variation

The study of differences in physical and biological characteristics among humans, including skin pigmentation and other inherited traits. These differences can result from genetic variation and environmental influences.

Differences in human skin colour

Influenced by genes and evolutionary adaptations to different levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Melanin helps protect skin from UV radiation.

Why is human variation important

Variation provides differences among individuals and populations. Some inherited variations can help populations adapt to environmental conditions and contribute to survival over generations.

Why does human variation not fit into clear cut biological racial categories?

Human characteristics vary and overlap across populations rather than forming separate, clearly defined biological groups. Social categories of race do not correspond neatly to distinct biological divisions.