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Anthropology Mid Term Exam Review
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57
Anthropology
Undergraduate 3
10/12/2010

Additional Anthropology Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
What are the four subfields of anthropology?
Definition
Cultural
Archeology
Physical/biological
Linguistic
Term
In an undisturbed context, layer at the bottom of a stratigraphic profile are ________then layers at the top of the profile
Definition
older
Term
What is the three word definition of evolution?
Definition
Descent with modification
Term
Archeologists dig square holes. What are the dimensions of those and which system of measurement do they use?
Definition
1m x 1m
metric system
Term
Observation, participant observation, informants, collecting genealogies, and collecting life histories are methods for doing what type of specific anthropological research?
Definition
Ethnography
Term
Archaeologists excavating Peublo Grasshopper in the 1950s collected all of the plain sherds and put them in a pile on the margin of the site. These sherds are in a….
Definition
Secondar context, because they were moved from their original site
Term
An artifact is defined as "an object that owes its _______or _______ to human activity"
Definition
Form or position
Term
Name 3 absolute dating methods we discussed in class
Definition
Radiocarbon (c14)
Tree Ring
Luminescence
Term
What material do paleoanthropologists study to evaluate physical change through time?
Definition
Skeletal remains (fossil hominids)
Term
Name three disciplines mentioned in class that anthropologists borrow techniques from?
Definition
Geology
Geography
Chemistry
Term
What event is being dated by radiocarbon dating methods?
Definition
When the organism died
Term
Which guy studied generations of pea plants and demonstrated independent assortment?
Definition
Gregory Mendel
Term
Enculturation is defined as "the process by wich culture is _________ and ________ across generations.
Definition
Learned and transmitted
Term
Exogamy
Definition
Mating outside your own group
Term
Culture can change through three general processes. Name them.
Definition
Diffusion
Acculturation
Independent Invention
Term
What type of researcher takes a variety of ethnographies and makes cross cultural comparisons?
Definition
Cultural Anthropologists
Term
Anthropology
Definition
The study of the human species and its immediate ancestors
Term
Applied Anthropology
Definition
The application of anthropological data, perspectives, theory, and methods to identify assess, and solve contemporary social problems
Term
Science
Definition
A systematic field of study or body of knowledge that aims, through experiment, observation, and deduction, to produce reliable explanations of phenomena, with reference to the material and physical world
Term
Evolution
Definition
Belief that species arose from others through a long and gradual process of transformation, or DESCENT WITH MODIFICATION
Term
Natural Selection
Definition
The process by which the forms most fit to survive ajd reproduce in a given environment do so in greater numbers than others in the same population. Differential reproductive success
Term
Enculturation
Definition
The social process by which culture is learned and transmitted across the generations
Term
Ethnocentrism
Definition
The tendency to view ones own culture as best and to judge the behavior and beliefs of culturally different people by ones own standards
Term
Cultural relativism
Definition
Idea that to know another culture requires full understanding of its member beliefs and motivations. These cultures differ and deserve respect.
Term
Absolute Dating
Definition
Dating techniques that establish dates in numbers or ranges of numbers
Term
Relative Dating
Definition
Dating technique that establishes a time frame in relation to other materials. Not absolute dates.
Older than/younger than/same age.
Term
Stratigraphy
Definition
Study of earth sediments deposited in demarcated layers (strata)
Term
Ethnography
Definition
the study of human behavior through material remains
Term
Ethnographic Methods
Definition
Study societies firsthand, by living with and learning with the people. Participant observers.
Term
Scientific Method
Definition
Question, Hypothesis, Collect data, Analyze data, Conclusion
Term
Uniformitarianism
Definition
Belief that explanations for past events should be sought in ordinary forces that continue to work today
Sir Charles Lyell
Term
Lamarkian Evolution
Definition
Claims that the aquired characteristics developed from practice became heritable characteristics.
Ex: Giraffe continuously stretching his neck
Term
Darwinian evolution
Definition
traits are inherited
those with favorable traits will survive
pass traits to offspring
individuals differ
Term
Culture
Definition
Distinctly human, transmitted through learning, traditions and customs that govern behavior and beliefs.

Learning
Symbolic
Shared
Interact with nature
Adaptive and Maladaptive
Term
Three categories of human traits
Definition
Universal, General, particular
Term
Three mechanisms of cultural change & their definitions
Definition
diffusion: borrowing of cultural traits between societies
acculturation:An exchange of cultural features between groups in firsthand contact
independent invention:The independent development of a cultural feature in different societies
Term
human rights
Definition
Rights based on justice and morality beyond and superior to particular countries, cultures and religions

Accepted by countries everywhere
Ex: murder
Term
paleoanthropology
Definition
Study of hominid and human life through the fossil record

Goal: to reconstruct behavior and ecology of early hominins
Term
Molecular anthropology
Definition
Genetic analysis, involving comparison of DNA sequences, to determine evolutionary links and distances among species and among ancient and modern populations

Genetic distance between us an our ancestors
Look at blood types
Term
Top Down Approach
Definition
Satellites
Planes, aerial shots
Remote sensing
Survey
Excavation
Term
Relative dating methods
Definition
stratigraphy, flourine absorption
Term
absolute dating
Definition
Tree Ring
Radiocarbon
Luminescence
Term
archeological record & what it consists of
Definition
Material evidence of human activities distributed across the landscape
consists of:
artifacts
ecofacts
features
sites
distributions
Term
homologous traits
Definition
traits that are similar because they are inherited from a common ancestor
Term
analogous traits
Definition
Traits that two species have in common because of independent evolution in similar environment, not shared ancestry
Term
characteristic traits of the primate taxonomy (physical & social)
Definition
Physical:
manual dexterity
depth and color vision
larger brains
limited offspring

social:
parental investment
learning & teaching ability
adaptability
social activities
Term
hominoids (3 divisions)
Definition

lesser apes: smaller more monkey like

great apes: chimps, gorillas, organgutans

humans no tails more complex

Term
Dominance hierarchies
Definition
Relative orders of authority initially thought to be central to primate groups
aggression, leaders emerge
results of growing up and play groups
both male & female
females can outrank male
Term
behavioral ecology
Definition
to identify which behaviors have a genetic basis and which are learned
Term
Bipedalism & associated anatomical traits
Definition
Walking on two feet
Spine has greater stress
Better balance over pelvis
Center of gravity over feet
Widened and shortened pelvis
connection to hip more flexible
Knees can bear more weight
Upright more efficient for cooling
greater access to food
can carry tools eaasier
Term
Gracile Australopithicine
Definition
smaller/slighter
less robust
smaller skull
Term
robust australopithicine
Definition
larger skull
large molars
massive jaws
Term
anatomically modern humans, location, physical features, culture
Definition
beginning in 195 KYA
originated in africa
flat face
wide forehead
prominent chin
elaborate tools
burial rituals
body ornamentation
cave paintings
musical instruments
Term
Clovis
Definition
rapid expansion
enter land bridge
hunted large game
highly mobile
large territories
low populations
clovis points- high quality material
set into shafts, hafted
located in North America
Term
ice free corridor
Definition
route which people believe early humans used to enter north america
after ice melted, passageway left
Term
ice free corridor
Definition
route which people believe early humans used to enter north america
after ice melted, passageway left
Term
anatomically modern humans
Definition
Homohabilis: "handy man"
brain size larger
2.4-1.6 MYA
smaller teeth

homo erectus:
upright man
1.8 KYA-200 KYA
skulls not quite modern
bodies very modern
tall
larger brains
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