CA Exam 1 ( 3A )

100 vocabulary-style flashcards focusing on key terms and definitions from the notes on human variation, race, and racism.

Humanae

A photographic project by Angelica Dass mapping human skin tones with Pantone colors to explore skin color and race.

Race

A socially and politically constructed category, not a fixed biological fact, historically linked to physical traits but with real social consequences.

Racism

Systematic discrimination and prejudice based on race that operates at individual, institutional, and structural levels.

Ethnicity

Identification with a cultural group that shares beliefs, values, customs, and norms.

Ethnic group

A socially defined group based on shared culture, background, and traditions.

Ethnocentrism

Judging other cultures by the standards of one's own culture.

Cultural relativism

Evaluating beliefs and practices within their own cultural context rather than by another standard.

Folk model of race

Common, everyday beliefs about race often rooted in stereotypes and intuitive biology.

Anthropological model of race

A research-based view that race is a cultural construct with limited biological basis.

U.S. folk model of race

A typical American belief that race reflects innate biological differences and a few major racial categories.

Hypodescent

The social rule that children of mixed unions are placed in the race of the minority parent.

One-drop rule

A historical rule in the U.S. that any African ancestry classifies a person as Black.

Phenotype

Observable physical traits used in classifying race, not a reliable indicator of genetic grouping.

Skin color

Visible pigmentation of the skin, largely determined by melanin.

Melanin

Pigment in the skin that provides color and protects against UV radiation.

Folate

Vitamin B9 essential for DNA synthesis and neural tube development; protected by melanin from UV damage.

Neural tube defects

Birth defects preventable by adequate maternal folate during early development.

Vitamin D

Nutrient produced in the skin with UV exposure; its synthesis is influenced by skin color.

UV radiation

Ultraviolet rays from the sun; high exposure can degrade folate but raise vitamin D production.

Natural selection

Evolutionary process where advantageous traits become more common over generations.

Pigmented skin

Skin with higher melanin content, offering more UV protection.

De-pigmented skin

Lighter skin with less melanin, facilitating vitamin D synthesis in low-UV regions.

Balancing act (skin color evolution)

Trade-off between protecting folate with pigment and producing enough vitamin D with less pigment.

Environment and genetics

Human variation arises from the interaction of heredity and environment; most genetic variation is within populations.

Folate protection by melanin

Melanin helps protect folate from UV-induced degradation.

Vitamin D synthesis and skin color

More melanin can reduce vitamin D production; lighter skin can increase it in low UV:**

Embodiment

The idea that social experiences (like racism) can produce biological effects across the lifespan.

Embodiment model

Gravlee’s model describing how social disadvantage affects health across generations via non-genetic pathways.

Intergenerational inequality

Societal inequalities that persist and affect multiple generations.

Birth weight disparities

Differences in birth weights across groups reflecting intergenerational inequality.

Hypertension

Higher risk linked to chronic stress and racism, affecting health across generations.

Diabetes

Chronic disease associated with social determinants of health and racialized stress.

Stroke

Health outcome linked to social disadvantage and chronic stress.

Racial health disparities

Differences in health outcomes across racial groups shaped by social factors, not just biology.

Biocultural concept of race

Race as a product of both biology and culture, not biology alone.

Race in Brazil

Racial identity that is more phenotype-based and fluid; no strict hypodescent law.

Phenotype in Brazilian race

Visible traits heavily influence racial classification in Brazil.

Latino/Hispanic as ethnic categories

Ethnic categories that cut across racial lines in the U.S.

Blumenbach’s five races

Historical typology: Europaeus (Caucasoid), Asiaticus, Afer (Negroid), Americanus, Monstrous (Malay/Asian).

Blumenbach five races (common list)

Five traditional categories later described as Caucasian, Mongolian, Ethiopian, American, Malay.

Caucasian

Old racial category referring to populations of European descent.

Mongolian

Old racial category referring to East Asian populations.

Ethiopian

Old racial category referring to African populations.

American

Old racial category referring to Indigenous peoples of the Americas.

Malay

Old racial category often used for parts of Southeast Asia.

Linnaeus

18th-century naturalist who contributed to early racial classifications.

Buffon

18th-century naturalist with racial ideas about human groups.

Kant

18th-century philosopher who proposed racial categorizations.

Cuvier

19th-century naturalist who proposed race-based classifications.

Deniker

Early 20th-century cataloging of races.

Garn and Coon

Anthropologists who proposed extensive racial catalogs.

US OMB 1997 racial categories

Official U.S. government categories for race/ethnicity used in data collection.

Five major human races (folk taxonomy)

A simplistic historical scheme tying race to geography and phenotype.

Caucasoid

Outdated term from racial typologies for populations of European origin.

Negroid

Outdated term from racial typologies for populations of African descent.

Mongoloid

Outdated term from racial typologies for populations of East Asian descent.

Institutional racism

Systemic patterns by which racial inequality is encoded into institutions.

Structural racism

Racism embedded in social, political, and economic systems.

De jure discrimination

Discrimination that is codified by law.

De facto discrimination

Discrimination that occurs in practice, not necessarily by law.

Individual racism

Personal prejudices and discriminatory actions based on race.

Discrimination

Unjust treatment of people based on a perceived group membership.

Prejudice

Preconceived, often baseless judgment about a group.

Stereotypes

Overgeneralized beliefs about a group.

Microaggressions

Small, often unintentional insults that convey hostile messages about identity.

Redlining

Housing discrimination practice that restricted loans to certain neighborhoods.

The House We Live In (film)

Documentary exploring how housing policy and racism shape economic and social outcomes.

Lab #2

Course assignment due; involves watching a film and answering questions.

Race the Power of an Illusion

Educational film series used to explore concepts of race and biology.

What is Racism? (Moses)

Definition of racism as both institutional and individual prejudice with power.

Halley et al. on racism

Conceptualization of racism as systematic and sometimes unintentional prejudice with power.

Outside Looking In (Gordon Parks)

Iconic image exploring race and representation in the U.S.

Think-Share

Class activity asking students to define race in one sentence.

Folk model vs Anthropological model

Two perspectives: everyday beliefs about race vs research-based view of race as a social construct.

Five generations (Jobert)

Reference to generations as described in scholarly discussions of race and status.

Status

Position or prestige someone occupies in a society.

Ascribed status

Social position assigned at birth with limited personal choice.

Achieved status

Social position earned through actions, choices, or achievements.

Hypodescent (concept)

Children of mixed unions are classified as belonging to the minority group.

Ethnicity vs race distinction

Ethnicity relates to culture; race to perceived biology and social hierarchy.

Phenotypic variation and environment

Observable traits often correlate with local environments but do not map neatly to genetics.

Global UV variation

Differences in UV radiation levels around the world influence skin color adaptation.

Foliate protection and vitamin folate

Folate is protected by melanin from UV; folate is essential for development.

Vitamin D and UV trade-off

Lower folate protection in lighter skin enables more vitamin D synthesis in low-UV regions.

Intergenerational health effects

Racism-related exposure can influence health across generations.

Embodiment path

Biological embodiment of social experiences across the lifespan.

Biocultural approach to race

Understanding race as a product of both biology and culture.

Race as a social construct

Race has social meaning and consequences but lacks a biological basis.

Racial categories in the US data systems

Standardized racial categories used in demography and policy.

Environment-driven adaptation

Adaptive changes in humans driven by local environmental pressures.

Altitude, temperature, and disease pressures

Environmental factors associated with variation in human populations.

Colorism concept (implied)

Preference or discrimination based on skin color within and across racial groups.

A priori vs a posteriori racial beliefs

Preconceived notions about race versus evidence-based conclusions.

Historical origin of race in late 17th century

Racial concepts emerged with European colonialism and expansion.

Race as a worldview

A dominant perspective that justifies exploitation and hierarchical thinking.

Folks’ everyday use of race terms

Common language and beliefs about race that influence behavior.

Racial identity fluidity

The idea that racial identity can shift across contexts or over time.

Health outcomes and social determinants

Health disparities arise from social factors such as SES, racism, and access to resources.

Genetic similarity among humans

Humans are genetically very similar; most variation occurs within populations.

Common African origin of humans

All humans share a common ancestry in Africa.