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Intro to Physical Anthropology
Chapter 1: Introduction
34
Anthropology
Undergraduate 1
02/16/2006

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Term
Hominidae
Definition
the taxonomic family to which humans belong; also includes other, now extinct, bipedal relatives.
Term
hominids
Definition
colloquial term for members of the family Hominidae, which includes all bipedal hominoids back to the divergence from African great apes.
Term
bipedally
Definition
on two feet. walking habitually on two legs is the single most distinctive feature of the family Hominidae.
Term
savanna
Definition
a large flat grassland with scattered trees and shrubs. savannas are found in many regions of the world with warm (or hot) and dry climates.
Term
evolution
Definition
a change in the genetic structure of a population. the term is also frequently used to refer to the appearance of a new species.
Term
adaptation
Definition
functional response of organisms or populations to the environment. adapation results from evolutionary change (specifically, as a result of natural selection)
Term
microevolution
Definition
small genetic changes that occur within a species.
Term
macroevolution
Definition
changes that occur only after many generations, such as the appearance of a new species (speciation).
Term
culture
Definition
all aspects of human adaptation, including technology, traditions, language, religion, marriage patterns, and social roles. culture is a set of learned behaviors; it is transmitted from one generation to the next through learning and not by biological or genetic means.
Term
world view
Definition
general cultural orientation or perspective shared by members of a society.
Term
behavior
Definition
anything organisms do that involves action in response to internal or external stimuli; the response of an individual, group, or species to its environment. such responses may or may not be deliberate, and they aren't necessarily the result of conscious decision making.
Term
predisposition
Definition
the capacity or inclination to do something. a situation whereby an organism is susceptible to behavioral or anatomical modification because of preexisting traits.
Term
biocultural evolution
Definition
the mutual, interactive evolution of human biology and culture; the concept that biology makes culture possible and that developing culture further influences the direction of biological evolution; a basic concept in understanding the unique components of human evolution.
Term
anthropology
Definition
the field of inquiry that studies human culture and evolutionary aspects of human biology; includes cultural anthropology, archaeology, linguistics, and physical anthropology.
Term
ethnographies
Definition
detailed descriptive studies of human societies. in cultural anthropology, an ethnography is traditionally the study of a non-Western society.
Term
artifacts
Definition
objects of materials made or modified for use by hominids (extinct forms and modern humans). the earliest artifacts tend to be tools made of stone or, occasionally, bone.
Term
paleoanthropology
Definition
the interdisciplinary approach tot he study of earlier hominids- their chronology, physical structure, archaeological remains, habitats, etc.
Term
anthropometry
Definition
measurement of human body parts. when osteologists measure skeletal elements, the term osteometry is often used.
Term
genetics
Definition
the study of gene structure and action and the patterns of inheritance of traits from parent to offspring. genetic mechanisms are the underlying foundation for evolutionary change.
Term
primatology
Definition
the study of the biology and behavior of nonhuman primates (prosimians, monkeys, and apes).
Term
osteology
Definition
the study of skeletal material. human osteology focues on the interpretation of the skeletal remains of past groups. some of the same techniques are used in paleoanthropology to study early hominids.
Term
paleopathology
Definition
the branch of osteology that studies evidence of disease and injury in human skeletal or, occasionally, mummified remains from archaeological sites.
Term
forensic anthropology
Definition
an applied anthropological approach to dealing with legal matters. physical anthropologists work with coroners and others in the identification and analysis of human remains.
Term
science
Definition
a body of knowledge gained through observation and experimentation; from the Latin scientia meaning "knowledge."
Term
empirical
Definition
relying on experiment or observation; from the Latin empiricus, meaning "experienced."
Term
scientific method
Definition
a research method whereby a problem is identified, a hypothesis (or hypothetical explanation) is stated, and that hypothesis is tested through the collection and analysis of data. if the hypothesis is verified, it becomes a theory.
Term
hypothesis
Definition
a provisional explanation of a pheonomenon. hypotheses require verification or falsification through testing.
Term
data
Definition
facts from which conclusons can be drawn; scientific information.
Term
quantitatively
Definition
in a manner involving measurements of quantity and including such properties as size, number, and capacity. when data are quantified, they are expressed numerically and are capable of being tested statistically.
Term
scientific testing
Definition
the precise repetition of an experiment or expansion of observed data to provide verification; the procedure by which hypotheses and theories are verified, modified, or discarded.
Term
theory
Definition
a broad statement of scientific relationships or underlying principles that has been at least partially verified through rigorous testing.
Term
ethnocentric
Definition
viewing other cultures from the inherently biased perspective of one's own culture. ethnocentrismusually results in other cultures being seen as inferior to one's own.
Term
relativistic
Definition
pertaining to relativism; viewing entities as they relate to something else. cultural relativism is the view that cultures have merits within their own historical and environmental contexts and that they shouldn't be judged through comparison with one's own culture.
Term
metabolism
Definition
the chemical processes within cells that break down nutrients and release energy for the body to use. (when nutrients are roken down into their component parts, such as amino acids, energy is released and made available for use by the cell.)
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