Ch. 1 - Introduction Flashcards Preview

ANTH-2410H Biological Anthropology > Ch. 1 - Introduction > Flashcards

Flashcards in Ch. 1 - Introduction Deck (40)
Loading flashcards...
1
Q

Biological Anthropology

A

The study of the biological origins, evolution, and contemporary diversity of humans and their primate relatives

2
Q

Variation

A

Observable differences within a class of objects, the source of which may be genetic or environmental or both in interaction

3
Q

Multidisciplinary

A

An investigative approach that brings the expertise of a number of disciplines to bear on a particular question within an existing field of study

4
Q

Interdisciplinary

A

An investigative approach bringing diverse fields together to create a new arena of study

5
Q

Anthropology

A

The global and comparative study of humankind, past and present

6
Q

Holistic

A

The integrated study of all aspects of human life, biological, cultural, historical, psychological, etc., in order to develop a comprehensive view of the whole of the human condition

7
Q

Pandemic

A

A disease affecting populations across a large area, typically used in reference to a global occurrence

8
Q

Prevalence

A

The proportion of a population exhibiting a particular feature at any one point in time

9
Q

Cultural Anthropology

A

The study of the structure and function of human societies, usually from a cross-cultural perspective

10
Q

Ethnography

A

The comparative study of cultures

11
Q

Archaeology

A

The systematic study of past human lifeways through an analysis of human interactions with and modifications of the environment, including the origin and development of technology

12
Q

Anthropological Linguistics

A

The study of the origin, evolution, and use (social context) of languages

13
Q

Thermoregulation

A

The adjustment of body temperature within a normal physiological range under varying environmental conditions

14
Q

Biocultural

A

A research perspective that recognizes the interrelationship of biology and the many facets of culture, including technology and social behaviour

15
Q

Applied Anthropology

A

A subfield emphasizing project-based, problem-oriented, practical applications of anthropological knowledge

16
Q

Cranial Morphology

A

The relative size and shape configuration of the various bones of the skull

17
Q

Community-Based Research

A

An approach in which investigators work directly with a community to develop, organize, and implement a research program

18
Q

Isotope

A

A measurable form of a chemical element varying in the number of subatomic particles (protons and neurons) – e.g., 12C and 14C are different isotopes of carbon, with the latter having two extra protons

19
Q

Isotope

A

A measurable form of a chemical element varying in the number of subatomic particles (protons and neurons) – e.g., 12C and 14C are different isotopes of carbon, with the latter having two extra protons

20
Q

Paleopathology

A

Literally, the study of ancient disease and trauma

21
Q

Paleoanthropology

A

The study of human evolution through fossils and the circumstances in which they are found

22
Q

Hominin

A

A term inclusive of modern humans and their bipedal ancestors

23
Q

Taxon

A

A formal designation of biological classification (pl.taxa) – e.g., we are all members of the taxon Homo sapiens

24
Q

Human Biology

A

A branch of biological anthropology that examines modern population diversity

25
Q

Anthropometry

A

The measurement of body form

26
Q

Hypoxia

A

Low oxygen availability, characteristically associated with high altitude

27
Q

Adaptability

A

The tendency for an organism to achieve increased functional capacity through a modification of the body form and/or physiological pathway when faced with an environmental stressor.

28
Q

Molecular Anthropology

A

The study of population diversity at the level of the gene and its products (both structural and regulatory proteins)

29
Q

DNA

A

Deoxyribonucleic acid, the fundamental genetic material of life

30
Q

Genome

A

The total complement of an organism’s DNA

31
Q

Primatology

A

The study of the morphology, behavior, and evolution of nonhuman primates

32
Q

Keystone Species

A

A species whose ecological role produces a disproportionate impact on its environment, including the status of other species; the loss of a keystone species often has significant and deleterious consequences for the local ecosystem

33
Q

Medical Anthropology

A

A branch of applied anthropology examining the interplay of culture, biology, health/wellness, disease/illness, and the art of medicine, both traditional and Western

34
Q

Monogenist

A

From monogeny, meaning “single origin”; the view consistent with biblical accounts, that humans were created once, with subsequent dispersal and modification; the contrasting view, according to which varieties (“races”) of humankind were created separately, is known as polygeny, or “many origins”; these meanings are also applicable to the genetic concepts of monogenic and polygenic as defined in Chapter 3

35
Q

Craniometry

A

Literally, the metrical assessment of the size and shape of the human skull

36
Q

Longitudinal

A

The repeated measurement of the same individuals over a given time interval – e.g., every year for five years. While costly and time consuming, longitudinal studies provide the most robust assessment of growth variation

37
Q

Eugenics

A

Literally “true breeding,” a social philosophy proposing that humankind might be improved through direct intervention in reproduction, including the restriction or elimination of particular groups deemed unworthy

38
Q

Typology

A

A static perspective of the world ascribed to the 4th-century BCE Greek philosopher Plato, in which “ideals” or “types” were perceived to be real, and variation as observed in the world was considered a deviation from ideal reality

39
Q

Mosaic Evolution

A

The concept that functional complexes in organisms have independent evolutionary histories and have changed at different times and rates in the fossil record

40
Q

Ossuary

A

A repository for collections of human skeletal remains. In pre-contact Canada, these typically were large secondary burial pits containing the commingled remains of dozen of individuals who had earlier been interred in separate primary graves