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Details Title: Exam 1 Description: aug 20-sept 21 Total Flash Cards: 116 Created: 09/23/2007 19:51:48	To study from this set of flash cards, or to create your own your own study flash cards, register HERE. If you are already a registered user, CLICK HERE.
Cards Term definitions of anthropology Definition 1.the study of human beings-incomplete because it imcludes more than just people themselves 2. systematic study of human nature, human society, and human past 3. the study of the human species and its immediate ancestry Term holistic Definition includes many aspects of a multifaceted system Term comparative discipline Definition generalize about human nature, human society, and the human past regquires evidence from the widest possible range of human societues Offers a unique cross-cultural perspective by constantly comparing the customs of one society with those of others Not sufficient to observe only our own social group Term 4 sub-feilds Definition 1.Biological Anthropology 2.Archaeology 3.Linguistics 4.Ethnology (Cultural Anthropology) Term biological anthropology Definition Seeks to answer two sets of questions: 1.Human evolution (how we got where we are today) 2.Current human diversity human genetics human growth and development human biological plasticity demography Term paleoanthropology (bio anthro) Definition studies the emergence of human and our later evolution Term primatology (bio anthro) Definition studies the behavior and the evolution of non-human primates, our closest living relatives Term Archaeology Definition Anthropology of the human past involving the analysis of material remains left behind by earlier human societies Historical records Term Linguistics Definition The study of languages Term Anthropological linguists Definition often deal with languages that are not yet written Term Historical linguistics Definition study of how languages change over time and how they may be related ex:spanish and portuguese are very similar Romance languages(span. Portuguese, italian, french) stem from Latin Term structural linguistics Definition study of how sounds and words are put together in speech E.g., “r” and “l”—interchangeable in many languages (but not English) “x”, “c” and “q” (clicks) in Xhosa Term sociolinguistics Definition study of the social context of language**don’t nessicarilly use same context such as slang E.g., greetings The words we use vary greatly depending on the social context Term Cultural Anthropology / Ethnology Definition Seeks to understand how and why peoples today and in the recent past differ in their customary ways of thinking and acting data collected through qualitative (non-numeric)- how people believe and feel Data collected through participant-observation Term participant-observation Definition The researcher takes part in the activities being observed, interacts with members of the community Term ethnographies Definition ethnographies—detailed descriptions of the people they have studied Often book-length Term Ethnohistorian Definition Draws upon historical and contemporary sources of data to study how a particular culture has changed over time Data often collected by outsiders, not the people themselves (e.g., writings by missionaries, soldiers, etc.) E.g., the Inca (Peru) – much of what we know about them comes from the conquistadors Term cross-culrural research Definition Studies why some traits are found in some societies but not others Term Applied Anthropology Definition not a subfield practical applications half of all anthro. jobs forensic evidence, curationg artifacts, community developement programs, health care programs Term medical anthropology Definition not subfeild anthropologists—study the biological and sociocultural context of disease Usually considered cultural anthropology; often have an applied perspective People veiw disease differently Term Science and theory Definition A theory is a testable and correctable explanation of observable phenomena that yields new information about nature correctable and replaceable Term theory Definition 1.Explains existing data 2. Makes predictions about new data Theories are testable because they make predictions that can be tested and falsified A theory cannot be “proven” However, theories can be disproven! This is perhaps more useful Term 4 types of evidence from the past Definition 1. artifacts 2. ecofacts 3. fossils 4. features Term Artifact Definition anything made or modified by people ex: pottery, arrowhead, widdled bones (bones that arent widdleed no) May be made of perishable material (e.g., wood, grass), or may be very similar to naturally occurring objects Earliest artifacts may be difficult to identify Why? dont know if made by humans Term lithics Definition stone tools non parishable Term ceramics Definition made from baked clay non parishable Term fossils Definition hardened remains or impressions of animals or plants that lived in the past Term fossils Definition hardened remains or impressions of animals or plants that lived in the past Term fossils Definition hardened remains or impressions of animals or plants that lived in the past Term Features Definition human artifacts that cannot be removed from an archaeological site ex: hearths, storage pits, buildings, footprints Term sites Definition known or suspected locations of human activity in the past that contain a record of that activity doesnt show true age invalid when been disturbed Term taphonomy Definition the study of the process of the site disturbance or distruction Term realative data Definition oldest form of dating stratigraphy (strta-grand canyon) Term absolute dating Definition Most methods based on the decay of a radioactive isotope Term Half-life Definition the time it takes for half of the isotope in the sample to decay to its stable form Term dendrochronology Definition data with tree rings Term radio carbon dating Definition Allows you to date the age of organic material Age limit: 50,000 years (new methods: up to 80,000 years Term The half-life of C14 Definition 5,730 years Term great chain of being Definition Humans (the most perfect) were at the top, then apes, monkeys, other mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, etc.—each in decreasing order of perfection Term Carolus Linnaeus Definition Linnaeus systematized the Great Chain of Being into a scientific framework, based on anatomy Organisms identified as species; very similar ones shared the same genus; similar genera shared the same order, etc. Term Linnaean nomenclature Definition System of taxonomic classification Homo sapiens sapiens Genus species sub-species Term lamark Definition Early advocate of evolution (late 18th century) Believed characteristics acquired during an animal’s lifetime could be passed on to offspring E.g., giraffes who stretch their necks over their lifetimes will have offspring with longer necks Term lamarkism Definition You do not pass on the traits you acquire during your lifetime E.g., body building, circumcision Term early views of evolution/ species change Definition static no extinction gods creation refelected gods perfection so extinction cant exist because it would mean gods creation was imperfect earth was 6,000 years old so not enough time to allow species to change Term sir charles lyell Definition wrote influential book called principles of geology Term Galapagos islands, Darwins finches Definition Galapagos Islands: recent geological origin Darwin observed a large number of finches, each occupying a highly specialized niche The islands were too new for the finches to have been there forever, and the finches were too specialized for them to have come from someplace else Darwin became convinced they were closely related, and had evolved into separate species fairly recently Term Charles Darwin, HMS Beagle Definition In 1831, Darwin obtained a position as ship’s naturalist aboard the HMS Beagle, which was about to embark on a worldwide scientific survey species were not fixed—that they could change over time Darwin conceived natural selection to explain the phenomena he observed during his voyage on the Beagle Journey lasted 5 years Term Uniformitarianism Definition the idea that the earth is constantly being shaped and reshaped by gradual, natural forces that have operated over a vast stretch of time These same forces can be observed today Term Catastrophism Definition quick series of catastrophes (e.g., floods) account for observed geological formations Term Evolution by Natural Selection Definition Proposed simultaneously by Charles Darwin and Alfred Russell Wallace Term Origins of Species Definition outlines the theory of natural selection Term evolution as a fact Definition Darwin inferred evolution as a fact, from the fossil record and living species—gradual changes in animal life over long time periods E.g., the fossil record; DNA (common ancestry) Term evolution as a theory Definition Theories are explanations proposed to explain observed facts and observations Term 3 steps in natural selection Definition Variation Heritability Differential Reproductive Success Term Variation Definition within a species, there is variation for a specific trait Some individuals are better adapted to the environment than others E.g., speed (some cheetahs run faster than others) Infant survival (some infants resist disease better than others) Term Heritability Definition offspring inherit traits from their parents E.g., faster cheetahs have offspring that are faster Term Variation Definition within a species, there is variation for a specific trait Some individuals are better adapted to the environment than others E.g., speed (some cheetahs run faster than others) Infant survival (some infants resist disease better than others) Term selection pressure Definition Traits spread through populations if there is selection pressure—e.g., they are favored by natural selection The traits spread because they “solve problems” faced by the organism E.g., obtaining food, reaching adulthood, etc. Natural selection produces adaptations Term adaptions Definition traits that result in greater reproductive success within a particular environment This is a relative term (e.g., relative to other variants of the trait) A successful adaptation doesn’t have to the “best trait ever” – it just has to be more successful than the other options currently available Term peppered moths Definition Once, all moths in Manchester were speckled gray 1850: First black moth observed As pollution increased, gray moths were more visible on trees—easier for predators to spot Selection pressure against gray moths By 1950: 95% of moths in Manchester were black Term artificial selection Definition Breeding (dogs, horses, pigeons) was a very popular pastime in Victorian England People were familiar with taking two animals with a desired trait and breeding them to create a new line of animals possessing that trait This was artificial selection, and was well-understood by Darwin’s audience Term antibiotic resistance Definition This is a classic example of natural selection in action Variability: some bacteria more resistant to antibiotics than others Heritability: antibiotic resistance can be passed on Differential Reproductive Success: antibiotic-resistant microbes leave more offspring; soon the trait spreads through the population Term heredity Definition darwins time, nothing was known of DNA major obstacleto his theory Term Blending Definition Natural Selection depends on traits being heritable—but in the 19th century, many people thought traits would “blend” over time E.g., a tall father and a short mother produce a medium-height child If traits blended and were diluted, they would not spread through the population—and thus natural selection would not work Term gregor mendel Definition His work with pea pods revealed “units of heredity” that are distinct and do not blend Now called “genes” Term Phenotype: Definition the appearance of an individual (the expression of the underlying genes, interacting with the environment) Term Genotype: Definition the genetic makeup of an individual (the genes that underlie a trait) Term dominant traits Definition always expressed Term recessive traits Definition not expressed in some generations, but would emerge unchanged in future generations Term Natural selection and Randomness Definition Natural selection has a random component—but it’s not a random process Complex adaptation that cannot arise in a single step can be created through multiple small steps if selection is at work Term T.H. Huxley Definition “Darwin’s bulldog” Term Why study primates Definition They provide models of human evolution We did not descend from any living primate—but they share many characteristics with our common ancestors Especially important because behavior does not fossilize Term Jane Goodall Definition The mother of naturalistic primate studies Studied chimpanzees in Gombe Stream Reserve, Tanzania, beginning in 1960 Term characteristics of primates Definition Kingdom = Animalia Phylum = Chordata Class = Mammalia Order = Primata Thus, primates share all characteristics of animals, chordates and mammals E.g., they have a spine, fur, lungs, four limbs, are warm-blooded, nurse their young, etc. Flexible hands and feet Rotating forearm Opposable thumbs Fingernails (instead of claws) Greater reliance on vision Smelling ability reduced Large eyes, stereoscopic vision, depth perception Small litters (single births or twins) Emphasis on offspring quality over quantity Slow population growth Large brains Dentition Teeth often less specialized than other mammals Loss of teeth over time Term primate biogeography Definition Mostly tropical Never in Australia or Antarctica Formerly in North America Mostly arboreal (tree-dwelling) Term six major primate groups Definition Prosimians New World Monkeys Old World Monkeys Lesser Apes Great Apes Hominids Term prosimians Definition Retain more ancestral traits – resemble other mammals more than the other primates do More reliance on smell More pronounced snout Wet noses lemurs, tarsiers, slender loris, bushbaby Term anthropoids Definition New and Old World monkeys, apes, and humans Differ from prosimians: Generally larger body size, larger brain Reduced reliance on sense of smell Increased reliance on vision (better color) Increased parental care Longer gestation and maturation Increased social complexity Term New world monkeys Definition Central and South America All arboreal All diurnal (active during day) except owl monkeys Includes several species with prehensile tails (spider monkeys and woolly monkeys only) Golden lion tamarins, howler monkey Term New world monkeys Definition Central and South America All arboreal All diurnal (active during day) except owl monkeys Includes several species with prehensile tails (spider monkeys and woolly monkeys only) Golden lion tamarins, howler monkey, spider monkey, capuchin monkey Term old world monkeys Definition Differences from New World monkeys: More diverse (behavior and morphology) Wider range of habitats Tropics, deserts, seasonally snow-covered areas Mostly arboreal, but some are terrestrial Red colobus monkey, Langurs, Proboscis monkey, mandrill, baboons Term hominoids Definition apes amd hominids Differ from monkeys: Larger body size No tail Shortened trunk Larger brain More complex behavior Dentition (Y-5 molar cusp pattern) Term Hylobates: Definition Gibbons and Siamangs Found in Southeast Asia Arboreal Excellent brachiators Long arms, long curved fingers Minimal sexual dimorphism (males/females roughly the same size) Monogamous pair bonds Male parental care Term pongrids Definition Orangutans Gorillas Chimpanzees Larger than the hylobates More complex socially Term orangutans (great apes) Definition Pongo pygmaeus Diet: mostly fruit and leaves Term gorillas (great apes) Definition Gorilla gorilla Diet: mostly leaves, stalks, pith Harems: single male, multiple females Two sub-species: lowland gorilla and mountain gorilla Term chimpanzees Definition Two distinct species: common chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) and bonobo (Pan paniscus) Live in large multi-male/multi-female groups (up to 50 individuals) Polygynandrous mating system: males mate with many females, females mate with many males Diet: mostly fruit and leaves, but also hunt small mammals Term knuckel walking Definition gorillas chimpanzees Term Hominids: Definition the group of hominoids that includes humans and their direct ancestors; distinguished by bipedal locomotion and large brains Term africann origins Definition Darwin thought humans evolved in Africa, since our closest living relatives (chimpanzees and gorillas) were there Prevailing thought (until 1930s or so): humans evolved in Asia, or possibly Europe Homo erectus first found in Java and China African origin supported with fossil finds beginning in the 1920s Term great rift valley Definition Large geological fissure running north/south along eastern side of Africa Location of many great fossil finds Volcanic deposits—useful for dating fossils Term Hominoid lineages Definition ardipithecus ramidus(4.4 mya) austalopithecus anamensis (4.1- 3.9 mya) australopithecus afarensis (3.9- 3.0 mya) Term Ardipithecus ramidus Definition 4.4 mya—earliest known hominid Found in Aramis, Ethiopia by Tim White Mixture of apelike dentition with hominid-like skeleton Term Robust australopithecines Definition Include A. aethiopicus, A. boisei, and A. robustus Larger dentition, massive face and jaws, very muscular Large sagittal crest (for attachment of chewing muscles) Term Gracile australopithecines Definition Include A. anamensis, A. afarensis, and A. africanus Smaller dentition, lighter facial and dental musculature Term Australopithecus anamensis Definition 4.1 – 3.9 mya Found in Kanapoi and Allia Bay, Kenya Term Australopithecus afarensis Definition 3.9 – 3.0 mya, at Hadar (Ethiopia), Omo (Ethiopia) and Laetoli (Tanzania) Many specimens, including Lucy, and footprints Term lucy Definition Discovered in 1974 by Donald Johanson in Hadar, Ethiopia 40% complete skeleton Only fragments of the skull—enough to see the brain was small Pelvis/femur reveal she was bipedal Term Laetoli Definition Mary Leakey discovered 3.6 myo fossilized footprints of two bipeds walking side by side Contemporaneous with A. afarensis fossils at Laetoli (3.8 – 3.6 mya) Term Australopithecus africanus Definition 3.5 to 2.3 mya Southern and Eastern Africa Major sites: Taung, Sterkfontein First discovered by Raymond Dart, 1925 Taung child Gracile australopithecine Taller than A. afarensis, shorter face, less prognathic Same size brain as A. afarensis, high sexual dimorphism Beginnings of heavy chewing jaw and molar specialization Once thought to be a human ancestor; now a side branch Term A. africanus (Mrs. Ples) Definition Discovered in Sterkfontein in 1947 by Robert Broom Term Australopithecus robustus Definition 1.8 to 1.0 mya South Africa (Swartkrans) First discovered by Robert Broom in 1936 Contemporaneous with A. boisei and early Homo Body and brain similar to A. africanus, but with more massive jaws, molars, skull, bones Greater sexual dimorphism Term Australopithecus aethiopicus Definition Earliest robust australopithecine 2.7 – 2.3 mya Ethiopia and Kenya Intermediate between A. afarensis and later forms Term Australopithecus boisei Definition 2.2 to 1.3 mya, East Africa Discovered in 1959 in Olduvai, Tanzania, by Mary Leakey (after 28 years of searching) First hominid found in East Africa Originally named Zinjanthropus boisei Larger body size, larger brain, heavy musculature (sagittal crest, nuchal crest) and dentition (megadont chewing teeth) Term Paranthropus Definition robust australopithecines into a new genus, Term Sahelanthropus tchadensis Definition Late Miocene fossil (approx. 7 mya) Found in Chad, in 2002 Has many hominid features—but relationship to hominids and other apes unknown Term Homo habilis Definition 2.3 – 1.6 mya Larger brain than australopithecines Literally means “handy man” First found in Olduvai Gorge by Louis Leakey Presumed toolmaker of the stone tools found at Olduvai Term Oldowan tools Definition First stone tools Core & flake technology Emphasis on pebble tools Some tools at Olduvai were made of stone that was not locally available Term scavenging vs. hunting Definition Probably both Hunting gaining more importance over time Term Homo erectus Definition 1.8 mya – 300 kya Larger brains, bodies Up to 6 feet tall Major technological advances Fire Acheulean hand axe technology First hominids to leave Africa Descended from H. habilis—but the two species overlap as well Term Homo erectus Definition 1.8 mya – 300 kya Larger brains, bodies Up to 6 feet tall Major technological advances Fire Acheulean hand axe technology First hominids to leave Africa Descended from H. habilis—but the two species overlap as well Term Eugene Dubois: Definition found Homo erectus remains (brain case and femur) in Java in 1891 “Java Man” About 700,000 years old Term Turkana Boy Definition : 1.6 myo nearly complete skeleton of a 11-12 year old boy Found in 1984 by Richard Leakey’s team 5.1” tall—would have been about 6’1” as adult Term Homo ergaster Definition The African variant of Homo erectus is sometimes classified as a separate species: Term Homo floresiensis Definition In 2003, discovered a dwarf form of Homo erectus on the Indonesian island on Flores Lived there from 95,000 to 13,000 years ago Body and brain smaller than a chimp’s Brain only 380cc Nicknamed “the hobbit” Term 4 traits associated with h. erectus Definition Modern pelvic proportions the first hominid to leave Africa Acheulean tool kit: 1.6 mya - 300 kya he first hominid who definitely used fire