ANT 4034: History of Anthropology Study Guide for Exam 3

A collection of vocabulary flashcards based on key terms and concepts from the History of Anthropology study guide.

Pānini

An ancient Indian grammarian known for his work on Sanskrit grammar.

Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis

The theory that the structure of a language affects its speakers' worldview or cognition.

Eugenics Movement

A social and political movement aiming to improve the genetic quality of a human population.

Monogenist and Polygenist Debate

A historical debate concerning whether all human races have a common origin (monogenism) or multiple origins (polygenism).

Cultural Ecology

The study of how human culture interacts with the environment.

Behavioral Archaeology

An approach in archaeology that emphasizes the study of human behavior through material remains.

Radiocarbon Dating

A method for determining the age of an object containing organic material by measuring the amount of carbon-14 it contains.

Binary Oppositions

A key concept in structuralism, referring to pairs of contrasting concepts, such as good/evil or light/dark.

Postprocessual Archaeology

An approach that emphasizes the subjective interpretation of archaeological finds, focusing on human agency and meaning.

Transformation Processes

Processes that involve changes in material culture over time due to various factors such as environment and technology.

Stratigraphy

The study of rock layers (strata) and layering (stratification) to understand historical geological and archaeological sequences.

Immutability of Species

The idea that species do not change over time, a theory challenged by Darwin's work on evolution.

Crania Americana

A book by Samuel G. Morton that presented his research on the skulls of different races.

Systema Naturae

A work by Carolus Linnaeus that laid the foundation for the modern system of naming organisms.

Technomic, Sociotechnic, Ideotechnic

Categories developed to classify human societies based on their technological sophistication.

Uniformitarianism

The geological doctrine suggesting that the Earth's features result from continuous and uniform processes.

Three Age Hypothesis

The concept that human prehistory is divided into three periods: Stone, Bronze, and Iron Ages.

Excavations in St. Johns River shell heaps

Research conducted by Jeffries Wyman that provided insights into prehistoric cultures.

Anthropometry

The measurement and study of the human body and its parts, often used in physical anthropology.

Cultural Historical Processual

An archaeological paradigm that integrates cultural history with scientific methodologies.

Linguistics Society of America

An organization founded in 1925 to promote the advancement of linguistic science.