CH.1 : Intro to Biological Anthropology

anthropology

study of humans and ancestors; culture, bio, society, evolution, etc

4 subfields of anthropology

• cultural

• archaeology

• linguistic

• physical/biological

holism

overall big pic of anthropology, looking at multiple interrelated factors

cultural anthropology

complex practices & beliefs group of ppl created/established

passed down to new gens

ratcheting effect

each gen builds and adds to current/past knowledge/skills

cultural relativism

ignore own culture expectation to understand other POVs/cultures without judgement

archaeology

study of material remains

ex. rocks, bones, tools

linguistic anthropology

study of human relationship with emergence & diversification of language

physical/biological anthropology

scientific study of human evolution and biological variation

paleoanthropology

study past/ancient human ancestors to learn how, when, why they evolved

found thru physical evidence (skeletal remains, fossils)

hominis

humans and fossil human relatives

6 subfields of biological anthropology

• primatology

• paleoanthropology

• molecular anthropology

• bioarchaeology

• forensic anthropology

• human biology

molecular anthropology

molecular techniques to compare ancient & modern pops

bioarchaeology

study skeletal remains, bones and burials

forensic anthropology

study and identify human remains with law enforcement (crime, accidents)

characteristics of science

• studies physical and natural world

• explanations must be testable and refutable

• relies on empirical (observable) evidence

• involves scientific community

theory

explanation of observations

relies on empirical evidence, testable, refutable

law

predictions about what will happens under certain conditions

often mathematical, promotes theory development

primatology

study of non human primates

ex. monkeys and apes