🌏 ANTH 111BA EXAM 1 Flashcards

Introduction to anthropology and the aspects associated

What is Anthropology?

The study of humans and cultures around the globe and how they’ve evolved throughout time

How is anthropology different from other fields that study human beings?

* Considered a holistic science
* Studies non-Western societies from the past and present
* Offers cross-cultural perspectives by comparing the customs of one society with others

Why is Franz Boas relevant to the field of anthropology?

He influenced anthropologists to approach the study as a holistic science and established the idea of cultural relativism

What is cultural relativism?

The idea that one society should not judge the customs of another society based on their own traditions and values; understand how that society functions and adapts through looking at their history, traditions, and values.

How does cultural relativism differ from ethnocentrism?

Cultural relativism = seeing all cultures as valuable and equal

Ethnocentrism = seeing your own culture as superior while others inferior or wrong; close-mindedness

Define culture

Customs, traditions, and/or values that are learned/passed down to future generations

Name the four fields of anthropology

1. Cultural = focuses on societies’ cultures
2. Archaeology = analyzes human behavior through material remains
3. Biological anthropology = observes human biological adaptations from past and present and development of human diversity
4. Linguistic anthropology = examines the multiple ways people communicate across the globe

Why are there four fields in anthropology?

They all coexist to answer life’s key questions of our origins and evolutionary changes that affect how we live today

Why is anthropology considered a science?

It relies on the scientific method to make accurate predictions and offer credible explanations

What is the scientific method?

Method of finding out how nature works through making observations, asking questions, and testing ideas

What are the steps of the scientific method?

1. Start with a question
2. Develop a hypothesis
3. Test hypothesis
4. Collect data from test
5. Devise a conclusion
6. Contribute to a larger society

What are the characteristics of scientific research?

* Hypothesis = a proposition that requires testing
* Association = a relationship between variables; if one variable changes, the other must change
* Theory = collective ideas that aid to explain something
* Law = a statement of an observation of something that occurs everytime if certain conditions are met

THEORY VS LAW

Theory = a collection of ideas that were used to explain something

Law = a statement of fact; states how something works rather than why something works

Is evolution a theory or a law? Why?

Evolution is a theory because it contains numerous ideas that explain why we do what we do

What is evolution?

Transformation of species over time

What does natural selection do?

Selects traits that are the most adaptive to an organism’s environment and passes down those traits to future generations

What is the goal of natural selection?

Strong fitness; success in surviving and reproduction to maintain variation

Define fitness

The ability to survive and reproduce in a given environment

Who established the idea of natural selection?

Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace

What results in natural selection?

Competition between individual vs individual (self vs self)

What does Lamarck’s inheritance of acquired characteristics state?

Physiological modifications produced by the organism get passed down to their offspring

Why is Lamarck’s idea of inheritance of acquired characteristics incorrect?

* Goes against basic principles of genetics and genetic variation
* Traits are based on genetics that you inherit from your parents
* Mutations are the only way a gene can change

Is evolution directed? Or is there an end goal?

There is no end goal. Evolution will always happen as we continue to change to adapt to our environment

Catastrophism vs Uniformitarianism

Catastrophism was an idea composed by George Curvier that states that earth’s current geological landscape is the result of violent and sudden cataclysmic events. Uniformitarianism was a concept produced by Charles Lyell stating that long-term natural processes continue to form earth’s features.

Who is George Mendel and what did he do?

The “father” of genetics; used his pea plants to establish basic units of inheritance, genetics, and variation

Where are genes located?

On a segment of DNA

What does a gene do?

Code for a specific trait

What is a trait?

Observational characteristics on a person-eye color, hair color, height, etc.

Dominant vs Recessive

Dominant = genes that mask a hidden gene or present themselves in all generations

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Recessive = a hidden gene

Gene vs allele

Gene = segment of DNA that codes for a trait

Allele = variant of the gene

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Gene - eye color

Allele - variations of eye color (brown, blue, etc.)

Principle of independent assortment

A concept produced by Mendel declaring that pairs of alleles assort themselves independently. The distribution of one pair of alleles has no influence over the other pair of alleles, it is randomized to create a 50/50 chance, so it generates more variation in gametes.

Principle of segregation

Another principle created by Mendel stating that each gamete will receive one allele for a specific gene from their parents that posses two alleles

What is linkage?

A violation of independent assortment in which genes are on the same chromosome at different loci that tend to be inherited together, which decreases variation.

Genotype vs Phenotype

Genotype = genetic makeup

Phenotype = physical expression of genetic makeup

How would you use a Punnett square?

To calculate genotypes and possible phenotypes

What is the relationship between genetic variation and evolution?

Without variation, natural selection wouldn’t have any alleles to choose from to determine prime adaptiveness and survival, and without natural selection, there would be no evolution

Why is the Scientific Revolution important for biological anthropology?

The renounced discovery and exploration of science changed people’s perspectives on evolution. New navigation systems that stemmed from the revolution allowed scientists and explorers to observe new wildlife, experiment in biological diversity, and discover fossils from the past, which made them realize that things change and always haven’t been the same.

Why is blending inheritance considered wrong?

Genes don’t “blend”. There is a dominant and recessive gene, and the dominant gene is the only that shows up. Plus, it goes against natural selection since any gene that would’ve been beneficial would be blended in, therefore losing genetic variation.

Homozygous vs Heterozygous

Homozygous = having the same allele (AA or aa)

Heterozygous = having different alleles (Aa)

What are eye color, hair color, and skin color considered to be?

Polygenic traits

What are polygenic traits?

2 or more genes influence one trait/phenotype, which produce variation

Define Mendelian traits

Traits that follow Mendel’s principles of genetic inheritance--determined by a single gene with two alleles that are either dominant or recessive

Blood types, sickle-cell anemia, cystic fibrosis, and Tay-Sachs disease would be called what?

Mendelian traits

What does the modern synthesis state?

States that evolution happens in two stages:


1. Production and redistribution of variations
2. Natural selection acts on variations, and such variations among individuals affect their ability to successfully reproduce

Combination of Darwinian evolution and Mendelian genetics

What is the definition of population genetics?

The study of genetics in a breeding population

What are the 3 parts of population genetics?

Genotypic frequency, phenotypic frequency, and allele frequency

The # of allele combinations/genotypes is what?

genotypic frequency

The # of traits presented is what?

phenotypic frequency

The # of alleles is called what?

allele frequency

Microevolution vs Macroevolution

Microevolution = small genetic changes that occur within a species in a short time frame that usually doesn’t cause speciation

Macroevolution = large-scale changes that can result in speciation

What is hidden variation?

Inherited differences that hid in recessive alleles and only show up if there are two copies of the recessive gene

What are the aspects of population genetics that maintain and produce variation?

Mutation, natural selection, genetic drift, and gene flow

How does mutation produce variation?

Changing the DNA sequence of one gene caused new genes to form

How does recombination/crossing over produce variation?

Intertwining of chromosomes allows for exchange of new combinations of alleles in offspring

How does natural selection produce variation?

It favors different alleles or combination of alleles that suit the organism’s situation

How does genetic drift maintain variation?

Random changes in allele frequencies create differences among populations that are isolated from each other

How does genetic drift reduce variation?

Usually happens in smaller populations, and allele combinations with lower frequency can either become fixed/permanent or be lost

How does gene flow produce variation?

The exchange of genes btw populations either introduces new alleles or changes the frequencies of existing alleles

What are some examples of mutations?

Blond hair, lactose tolerance, and color blindness

Is lactose tolerance a bad or good mutation?

Good mutation b/c digesting lactose gives us the ability to consume more calories needed for survival

What are the principles of genetic inheritance that maintain and product variation?

Principle of segregation, principle of independent assortment, and crossing over/recombination

Define nature vs nurture

Nature: your genetics

Nurture: your environment/situation that can impact your genetics

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Is this how you are or did your environment play a role?

How can the environment impact genetics?

If you live in a place where there are no adequate food, shelter, or sources for you to grow, then your genetics will change based on the lack of nutrient and comfort from your surroundings

What is the process of natural selection

1. All species have variation and produce offspring faster than food supply increase

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2. Limited food = competition among individuals

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3. Individuals with beneficial traits have a better chance of surviving and successfully reproducing

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4. Nature perceives traits as either beneficial or harmful, and the beneficial traits stay

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5. Those traits are passed down to the offspring

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6. Variations accumulate over time to the point where current generations may differ from ancestral ones

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7. As populations respond to the environment, they may become distinct and descend from a common ancestor

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8. Later generations or new species may be distinct from ancestral generations

The creation of a new species is classified as what?

Speciation

When does speciation occur?

During macroevolution

Biological vs Ecological species

biological = species cannot breed with each other due to varying genes; reproductive isolation

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ecological = species that live in the same geographic region, but have distinct niches; can still breed but offspring becomes infertile

A role that a species plays in their local environment is a ______

niche

How did species form during allopatric speciation?

New species formed from geographically isolated populations; some barrier prevents gene flow between populations

How did species form through parapatric speciation?

Two populations that have different roles share a common border called the “hybrid zone” that allow for some gene flow

Define adaptive radiation

Organisms filling open niches

When might an animal need to perform adaptive radiation?

After an extinction of a former species, environmental changes, or migration to a new region

What does punctuated equilibrium have to do with speciation and evolution?

It can speed up evolution by disrupting long periods of stability with evolutionary leaps to help keep a species alive

How do we classify species?

Through phylogeny and systematics; name their genus and species

Define taxonomy

Science of classifying living things into groups based on their similarities; based on an idea that all living things share a common ancestor and evolved from that ancestor

The “family tree” or history of evolutionary descent is called _____.

Phylogeny

What is the procedure for constructing phylogeny?

Systematics

Why are phylogenies important?

* Helps identify and classify organisms
* Determines why a species is involved in certain adaptations and not others
* Compares morphological traits and behaviors in different species