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Anthro 101
Intro to Anthropology
63
Anthropology
Undergraduate 1
10/01/2012

Additional Anthropology Flashcards

 


 

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Term
Gene
Definition
the portion of DNA molecules that directs the synthesis of specific proteins
Term
Gene Pool
Definition
All the genetic variants possessed by members of a population
Term
Gene Flow
Definition
The introduction of alleles from the gene pool of one population into that of another
Term
DNA Deoxyribonucleic Acid
Definition
the genetic material consisting of complex molecule whose base structure directs the synthesis of proteins
Term
Non-Random Mating
Definition
Mate selection is based on chosen traits, reproduction is random.
Example:
Darwin: Males need to be attractive because females are picky
Marion Petrie (1980s): Tested this with peacocks by altering their tails
Term
Random Assortment
Definition
traits are separate, and alleles can't mix
Term
Flake
Definition
tool used to cut meat and process vegetables. Acheulian Tool
Term
Homo Floresiensis
Definition
"dwarf homo"
-Almost identical to homo erectus
-Found on Flores Island, Indonesia
-Possible use of watercraft
-Dates to between 800,000 and 18,000 years ago
Term
Homo Habilis
Definition
“Handy human” The first fossil members of the genus Homo appearing 2.5 MYA, with larger brains and smaller faces than Australopithecus
Term
Homo neanderthalensis
Definition
group within the genus homo, in Europe and Asia from 30,000 to 125,000 years ago.
stocky, large trunk, more forward
rugged musculature
Mousterian Tools
buried dead
modern size brain, different skull shape
Term
The Genus Homo
Definition
Dates 2.5 MYA-1.8 MYA
-Found in East and South Africa
-Believed to have mastered the Oldowan stone tool industry
-There is ample fossil evidence that H. habilis was a major staple in the diet of large predatory animals; so it was probably not a hunter
Term
Australopithecus Afarensis
Definition
3.5-2.6 MYA
Tanzania and Ethiopia (East Africa)
Males 5 feet tall
Females 3.5-4 feet tall
protruding face with a low forehead
Term
Mitochondrial DNA
Definition
Genes passed down through mothers line of genes
Term
Dominant
Definition
in genetics, a term to describe the ability of an allele for a trait to mask the presence of another allele
Term
Genotype
Definition
genetic trait
Term
Meiosis
Definition
A kind of cell division that produces the sex cells, each of which has half the number of chromosomes found in other cells of the organisms
Term
Mutation
Definition
the chance alteration of genetic material that produces new variation
Term
Phenotype
Definition
physical trait
Term
Population
Definition
In biology, a group of similar individuals that can and do interbreed
Term
Recessive trait
Definition
A term used to describe an allele for a trait whose expression is masked by the presence of a dominant trait
Term
Mesolithic
Definition
The Middle Stone Age of Europe, Asia, and Africa beginning about 12,000 years ago
Term
Neolithic
Definition
The New Stone Age; a pre historic period beginning about 10,000 years ago in which peoples possessed stone-based technologies and depended on domesticated crops and/or animals subsistence
Term
Artifact
Definition
Any object fashioned or altered by humans
Term
Absolute Dating
Definition
In archaeology and paleoanthropology, dating archaeological or fossil materials in units of absolute time using scientific properties such as rates of decay of radioactive elements; also known as “chronometric dating
Term
Relative Dating
Definition
: Designating an event, object, or fossil as being older or younger then another by noting the position in the earth, by measuring the amount of chemicals contained in fossil bones and artifacts, or through association with other plant, animal, or cultural remains
Term
Homo Erectus
Definition
: “Upright Human” A species within the genus Homo first appearing just after 2 million years ago in Africa and ultimately spreading throughout the Old World. Use of fire show advancements in technology
Term
4 Fields of Anthropology: Physical
Definition
Systematic study of humans as biological organisms
Term
4 Fields of Anthropology: Archaeological
Definition
Study of human cultures though the recovery and analysis of material remains & environmental data
Term
4 Fields of Anthropology: Linguistic
Definition
study of human languages
Term
4 Fields of Anthropology: Cultural
Definition
study of customary patterns in human's behavior, thought and feelings
Term
Traits that all Primates have
Definition
Teeth (different dental formula based on diets)
Eyes (binocular vision, depth perception, color vision)
Locomotion (some have grouping tails)
Brain (larger then humans, not proportionate to their body)
Thumbs
Term
Main groups of Primates
Definition
Lemurs & Lorises
Tarsiess
Monkeys (New & Old World)
Apes (Great & Lesser)
Term
Natural Selection
Definition
The gradual process by which factors in the environment exert pressure favoring some individuals over others to reproduce in the next generation

Example: finches from the same place, they turned out different. The species adapt to environment. They will change to help survive, live longer, last longer
Term
Natural Selection Pressures
Definition
Predators, climate, disease
Term
What is the process of Speciation?
Definition
1. Population becomes separated
2. Mutations Occur
3. Groups change, climate changes, new predators
4. Natural Selection Occurs
5. Repeats over time, gene pool changes
6. New species is developed due to alterations
Term
Why do anthropologists study non-human modern primates?
Definition
We learn lots from studying them, we're a lot alike, gives us idea on our ancestors
Term
Lithic
Definition
Stone Tools
Term
Biological functions of skin color
Definition
dark skin: more production to skin. darker in tropical places
Light skin; gets vitamin d. lighter in places w/ less sun
Term
Core
Definition
a stone from which one or more flakes have been removed. serving as a tool itself. from movie where they would break the rocks into a spear-head like thing and use it as a tool
Term
Survey
Definition
when archeologists determine the space that they are going to search
Term
Bipedalism
Definition
A special form of locomotion on two feet found in humans and their ancestors, spend most out time on 2 feet
Term
Define archaeology:
Definition
Study of past through material remains
Term
Define social stratification and explain how archaeologists demonstrate it through the archaeological record
Definition
Different classes within a society. Seen through burials. Size of dwellings. Health at death
Term
What is “social race” and how does it relate to racism? Be able to define what is meant by “social race” versus “biological race.”
Definition
Social: what we refer to it as, we base it on skin colors or whatever. Biological: all from race, just little things changed overtime. Race is a social construct
Term
What climatic and cultural changes characterize the Mesolithic (and lead to the Neolithic)?
Definition
Coming out of an ice age, stable environment, it’s an easier living environment. Starting to have wider variety of resources, not just from hunting. Started storing food, eating grains/plants, adapting)
Term
Which body parts are used to determine traits that track human evolution? Give examples of information bones can provide if they are well preserved.
Definition
Teeth, legs (4 leg walkers have straighter legs) hands, thumbs, brains
Term
How do the laws of superposition and of uniformitarianism contribute to archaeology and the study of evolution?
Definition
(superposition: rocks in ground, the lower you go the older they are, uniform shows us that the changes today are things that happened in the past too) relates to evo. Because we can tell how things change over time
Term
What environmental changes occurred in Miocene Africa that resulted in a split 7 million years ago in the population of the last common ancestor of Pan (chimps/bonobos) and Hominins?
Definition
Followed water/trees(forests dwindled). Slow migration over time, different ways of life (sleeping, hunting) these things changed us too, looking for fruit might have given us color vision)
Term
What are the African Eve/Multiregional hypotheses? Were there multiple waves of hominins out of Africa? Is only one of these hypotheses correct or could they both be?
Definition
African Eve: 1 migration of homosapians from Africa, colonized the world from that
Multi regional: little waves came after the major one

Both hypothesis could be correct, 1 major migration, then a few smaller waves
Term
what are the 5 great apes
Definition
bonobos, orangoutangs, gorillas, chimps, humans
Term
cultural relativism
Definition
Is the view that all beliefs, customs, and ethics are relative to the individual within his own social context. Right and wrong are culture specific, they are different in every culture
Term
ethnocentrism
Definition
the belief that the ways of one's own culture are the only proper ones
Term
why are the concepts of ethnocentrism and cultural relativism important in anthropology?
Definition
ethnocentrism is based on your own culture, so you have a biased opinion, where as cultural relativism, everything is relative to the context of that culture
Term
Culture
Definition
a shared view on beliefs, views, and life styles
Term
Is culture specific to humans
Definition
No it is not, bonobo's have sex all the time
Term
Which body parts are used to determine traits that track evolution
Definition
spines straightened out over time as we began walking on 2 feet. Skull size changed over time. opposable thumbs. Bones can also show what the diet is and if they had any diseases
Term
Australopithecus
Definition
Southern Apes, 4 MYA, climb tree's, "Lucy"
Term
Homo
Definition
2 MYA, big brains, tool use, bipedalism "Handy Man"
Neanderthals
Term
agriculture
Definition
Produces a surplus, which results in population growth
Term
what are the main lines of evidence of agriculture
Definition
development of irrigation
Term
Neolithic: Be able to compare this lifestyle both to previous cultures and to our own way of life.
Definition
neolitic was the start of technological advancements, while paleolithic was the beginning of tool use and other technologies. Lots of basic living techniques came from the neolitic time period, we've just advanced them so much over time
Term
Neolithic
Definition
The New Stone Age; a pre historic period beginning about 10,000 years ago in which peoples possessed stone-based technologies and depended on domesticated crops and/or animals subsistence
Term
Archeological Methods:
Definition
Excavation, remote sensing, field survey, analysis
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