Anthropology Lecture Notes

A comprehensive set of 70 flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts in anthropology, evolution, and associated fields.

Anthropology

The study of humankind, encompassing various subdisciplines.

Linguistic Anthropology

The study of the origins of human speech and language, including social identity and cultural beliefs.

Socio-Cultural Anthropology

The study of patterns of belief and behavior in human cultures, both past and present.

Biological Anthropology

The study of biology and behavior in humans, non-human primates, and fossil relatives.

Archaeology

The study of past populations through material culture and artifacts.

Osteology

The study of skeletal structure and function.

Bioarchaeology

The study of skeletal remains in archaeological contexts.

Paleopathology

The study of diseases and trauma in past populations.

Human Biology and Variation

The study of how humans vary in response to environmental factors.

Molecular Anthropology

The study of genetics in modern and ancient humans and non-humans.

Primatology

The study of the biology and behavior of non-human primates.

Diet

The variety of food habits and eating patterns of an organism.

Locomotion

The movement capabilities of an organism.

Communication

The ways organisms convey information to one another.

Social Characteristics

Features related to the social structures and interactions of primates.

Reproductive Characteristics

Aspects concerning the reproductive methods and patterns of organisms.

Paleoanthropology

The study of human evolution through fossils.

Evolution

Change over time in biological species.

Species

A group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring.

Adaptation

Biological or behavioral responses of organisms to their environments.

James Ussher

Scientist who estimated the Earth's creation in 4004 BC based on biblical genealogies.

Al-Jahiz

An 8th–9th-century Islamic scholar known for contributions to animal diversity and adaptation theories.

Aristotle

Ancient philosopher who devised a classification system for living organisms and introduced the Scala Naturae.

John Ray

Known as the Father of Natural History; emphasized observable traits in organism classification.

Nicholas Steno

Founder of stratigraphy; contributed to geological history with the principle of superposition.

Carolus Linnaeus

Developed a hierarchical taxonomy and introduced binomial nomenclature.

Jean-Baptiste Lamarck

Proposed the theory of inheritance of acquired characteristics.

Georges Cuvier

Father of Vertebrate Paleontology who supported the idea of catastrophism.

Charles Lyell

Geologist who advocated uniformitarianism, emphasizing gradual geological change.

Thomas Malthus

Economist who introduced concepts of population dynamics influencing natural selection.

Charles Darwin

Developed the theory of natural selection, emphasizing gradual evolutionary change.

Alfred Russel Wallace

Co-developer of the theory of natural selection; his observations greatly contributed to evolutionary theory.

Fixity of Species

The belief that species are unchanging, prevalent until the mid-18th century.

Scala Naturae

A hierarchical structure of all forms of life, indicating a divine order.

Glossopetrae

Fossilized remains previously thought to be mythical creature tongues.

Taxonomy

The science of naming and classifying organisms.

Stratigraphy

The study of rock layers and their chronological sequence.

Binomial Nomenclature

A two-part naming system for species devised by Linnaeus.

Homo Sapiens

The scientific name for modern humans.

Inheritance of Acquired Characteristics

Lamarck's discredited concept suggesting traits acquired during life can be inherited.

Catastrophism

The theory that geological changes occur due to sudden catastrophic events.

Uniformitarianism

The principle that current geological processes operated similarly in the past.

Fundamentals of Natural Selection

Mechanisms by which organisms with favorable traits survive and reproduce.

Microevolution

Small-scale evolutionary changes within a population.

Macroevolution

Larger evolutionary changes that result in new species.

Prokaryotic Cells

Single-celled organisms that lack a nucleus; examples include bacteria.

Eukaryotic Cells

Cells with a defined nucleus and organelles; can be unicellular or multicellular.

DNA

Deoxyribonucleic Acid; the molecule carrying genetic information.

Transcription

The process of copying genetic information from DNA to mRNA.

Translation

The process where mRNA is used to synthesize proteins.

Chromosomes

Strands of tightly coiled DNA containing hereditary information.

Mitosis

The process of cell division resulting in two identical daughter cells.

Meiosis

Specialized cell division that produces gametes for sexual reproduction.

Mutation

Any change in DNA that can create new alleles.

Gene Flow

Movement of genes between populations, affecting genetic diversity.

Genetic Drift

Random changes in allele frequencies in small populations.

Domestication

The process by which humans selectively breed plants and animals for specific traits.

Sedentism

A settlement pattern characterized by staying in one place.