Essentials of Physical Anthropology Fifth Edition

Chapter 1 Introduction

Chapter Outline What is Anthropology? Cultural Anthropology Archaeology Linguistic Anthropology Physical Anthropology Physical Anthropology and the Scientific Method The Anthropological Perspective

Hominids Humans are hominids, belonging to the taxonomic family Hominidae. Bipedalism, walking on two legs, is a critical feature of the hominids. Humans are members of the Order Primates, the group of mammals that includes prosimians, monkeys and apes. Possibly an image…of the footprints here.

Culture Strategies humans use to adapt to their environment: technologies subsistence patterns housing types clothing religion values gender roles marriage and family

What Is Anthropology? The study of humankind. Integrates sociology, economics, history, psychology, and biology. Comprises three subfields: cultural anthropology archaeology physical, or biological, anthropology

Culture and Evolution Over time, cultural and biology interacted. Humans are said to be the result of biocultural evolution. Biocultural interactions resulted in anatomical, biological and behavioral changes.

Cultural Anthropology Studies all aspects of human behavior. Subfields: Urban anthropology deals with issues of inner cities. Medical anthropology explores relationship between culture and health.

Archaeology Study and interpretation of material remains recovered from earlier cultures. Information about culture comes from artifacts and material culture left by early hominids.

Linguistic Anthropology Study of the origin of language and speech. The use of language is a unique human characteristic. Relationship between culture and language: How do members of a society perceive phenomena? How does the use of language shape perceptions?

Physical Anthropology Study of human biology in the framework of evolution. Subfields: Paleoanthropology - human evolution Anthropometry - measurement of body parts Primatology: study of nonhuman primates Osteology: study of skeletons

Evolution A change in the genetic makeup of a population from one generation to the next. Genetic alterations within populations: microevolution. Genetic change resulting in the appearance of a new species: macroevolution.

Physical Anthropology and the Scientific Method State the research problem. Develop a hypothesis. Test the hypothesis through data collection and analysis. If the hypothesis is verified, it becomes a theory.