Anthropology Study Guide

Anthropology

The study of humans, past and present.

Holism

The broadest possible perspective that is integrative.

Comparative Method

Examining similarities and differences across societies, time, and species.

Cultural Relativism

An approach that promotes understanding cultural differences without bias.

Four-field approach

Anthropology's method of studying cultures using biological anthropology, archaeology, cultural anthropology, and linguistic anthropology.

Paleoanthropology

The study of ancient human species and their evolution.

Cultural Anthropology

Focuses on cultural aspects of existing societies and involves long-term fieldwork.

Linguistic Anthropology

Explores how language shapes communication and social identity.

Archaeology

The study of past human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture.

Cahokia

A chiefdom society and one of the largest pre-Columbian settlements in North America.

Participant Observation

A key research method in anthropology involving direct contact with people in their own environments.

Artifacts

Objects made or used by humans, studied in archaeology.

Chiefdom Society

A political organization that is a high degree of social and economic organization and hierarchy.

Ecological Anthropology

Explores the relationships between humans and their environments.

Cultural Diversity

The variety of cultural or ethnic groups within a society.

Enculturation

The process by which individuals learn their culture.