Intro to Physical AnthropologyContent: Chapter 1

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Course website

https://creason.co/

Very important for this class-Syllabus-Assignment instructions-Sample essays, tests, and questions-Study guides

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Course website and personal

Prof CreasonTransferred from LBCCBA in anthropology from UCLAMA in anthropology from CSUN

-focused on paleoanthropology-Interested in paleopathology and the archaeology of war

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*Evolution: change in the genetic structure of a population over time

*Adaptation: an anatomical, physiological, or behavioral response of an organism or a population to the environment.

-the result of evolutionary change

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Important terms to learn anthropology

*Genetics: study of gene structure and action

-also studies the patterns of trait inheritance

*Behavior: any response by an organism to internal or external stimuli.

I.e., a response to the environment

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Important terms to learn anthropology

*Hominins: members of the evolutionary lineage that includes modern Homo sapiens (us) and all our extinct bipedal relatives.

Anthropology: the study of hominins

Obviously much more...

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Important terms to learn anthropology

Anthropology: the field of inquiry that studies human culture and the evolutionary aspects of human biology.

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Anthropology: the field of inquiry that studies human culture and the evolutionary aspects of human biology.

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Anthropology: the field of inquiry that studies human culture and the evolutionary aspects of human biology.

Anthropology in the US has four main subfields:

cultural anthropology,

linguistic anthropology,

archaeology, and

physical anthropology

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Cultural anthropologyCultural anthropology: the study of patterns of belief and behavior found in modern and historic human societies

-use ethnographies (descriptive studies of human societies) to study cultures - other cultures, one's own culture, and subcultures

*Culture: set of learned behaviors transmitted from generation to the next generation non-genetically

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Linguistic anthropologyLinguistic anthropology: study of human speech and language noting their interactions with different aspects of culture (e.g., role of symbols in society, social identity, etc.).

-compare/contrast languages used today to trace their historical ties

-language usage is said to be uniquely human

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Linguistic anthropologyLinguistic anthropology: study of human speech and language noting their interactions with different aspects of culture (e.g., role of symbols in society, social identity, etc.).

-compare/contrast languages used today to trace their historical ties

-language usage is said to be uniquely human

https://youtu.be/nopWOC4SRm4

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ArchaeologyArchaeology: study of earlier cultures through analyzing the material remains of past societies

Analyze artifacts: objects or materials made or modified for use by hominins

-archaeologists excavate in order to gain info about human behavior

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Introduction: What is anthropology?Anthropology: seeks to explain variation in human adaptations

Physical anthropology: seeks to explain the relationship between human behavior and biology

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Physical anthropologyPhysical anthropology: the study of human biology and behavior in an evolutionary context

Physical anthropology = biological anthropology

-use of 'biological' reflects the modern shift towards using genetics, developmental biology, and the modern synthetic theory of evolution

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Subfields of physical anthropologyPrimatology: the study of nonhuman primate biology and behavior

-primatologists use the comparative approach

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Subfields of physical anthropologyPaleoanthropology: the study of anatomical and behavioral human evolutionary history as revealed in the fossil record.

-attempts to reconstruct our ancestors' adaptations and behaviors

Osteology: the study of skeleton structure and function

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Subfields of physical anthropologyForensic anthropology: the application of archaeological and osteological techniques to legal matters

-forensic anthropologists help identify and analyze skeleton remains that have legal significance

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Subfields of physical anthropologyPaleopathology: studies incidence of trauma, disease, nutritional deficiency, and other traces of pathology evident on human remains in the fossil record.

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Physical anthropologyPhysical anthropology: seeks to explain the relationship between human behavior and biology

*Biocultural evolution: behavioral aspects of human adaptation

-the mutual, interactive evolution of human biology and culture

E.g., technology, traditions, language, religion, marriage patterns, social roles, etc.

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Physical anthropology*Biocultural evolution: mutual, interactive evolution of human biology and culture

-behavioral aspects of human adaptationE.g., technology, traditions, language, religion, marriage patterns, social roles, etc.

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-Applied anthropology: practical application of anthropological and archaeological theories and techniques

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Reasoning in generalDeduction: inferences that use general rules to reach particular conclusions

All dogs are mammals.Lassie is a dog.Therefore, Lassie is a mammal.

Induction: inferences which tell us probable truths-the use of particular facts to make general rules.

On Earth, pens fall downward.We are on Earth.Therefore, probably, my pen will fall downward.

Science works mostly with inductionAbduction: inferences to the best explanation of the facts

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Scientific thinking

Data: facts/observations we want to explain

Empirical data: facts gained from experimentation or expansion of observational data to (dis)confirm a hypothesis.

Quantitative: data is collected is measurable quantities - numerical, mass, weight, volume, length, height, etc.

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ScienceScience method: stepwise method used by scientists to explain facts about the world.

Observation: anything you experience with the five senses

Hypothesis: tentative explanation of our observations

Scientific testing: precise repetition of an experiment and/or expansion of observed data to confirm, disconfirm, or revise hypotheses.

Theory: a tested explanation of the facts.

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Science is about hypothesis testing

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Scientific testing: precise repetition of an experiment and/or expansion of observed data to confirm, disconfirm, or revise hypotheses.

Hypotheses must be falsifiable: possible to identify what facts or observations could disprove a hypothesis

-doesn't mean hypothesis is false, only that it's capable of being false

Science and anthropology

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Anthropological perspective: interested in understanding the diversity of the human experience within a biological and behavioral context

Goals:

-extend our knowledge to include cultures other than our own

-look at the diversity of human experiences

-avoid ethnocentrism

Ethnocentrism: viewing other cultures from the inherently biased perspectives of one's own culture