Anthro 3: Intro to Anthropology

Why do anthropologist focus on studying primates?

The focus of study is to understand true human nature, the lives of great apes are less saturated with culture like gender roles, predetermined sexual orientation from parents at birth. by studying them we can study evolution, development of tools, language, culture, and social hierarchy by studying the life styles of other primates.

What is the focus of study in biological anthropology?

Studying DNA, facts of evolution, dating methods, human skeletons, other primates and archaic human remains.

What is sociocultural anthropology focus of study?

focus on studying cultural phenomena such as human language, race and ethnicity, religion and witchcraft, as well as sex, gender and sexual orientations.

Where did our species originate from?

found in the Rift Valley of Africa; Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and South Sudan

What is the difference between anthropology and sociology, history, psychology, paleontology, paleoanthropology, and comparative primatology?

Anthropology studies Homo sapiens sapiens across time and space. Sociology studies human societies, doesn't offer a cultural perspective and tries to understand a society in its own context. History heavily relies on written records, mainly written by wealthy men and offers a bias perspective, not all human societies have a written language. Psychology studies the minds and its functions such as aspects that affects behavior in a given context, analyze mental characteristics, attitudes of people, mental and emotional factors in a situation. Ethnic studies focuses on studying historical marginalized communities using theories and reading from people of color. Paleoanthropology studies the fossils of plants and animals. Paleoanthropology studies human fossils. Comparatice primatology makes comparisons among primates to find common characteristics to better understand humans "true nature" instincts and behavior.

What is the importance of studying primates?

We share a common ancestor 250,000 years ago (orrorin tugenensis), 6 m.y.a with chimpanzees 8 m.y.a with gorillas, and 12 m.y.a with orangutans. All humans share a common ancestor 250,000 years ago.

What is linguistic anthropology?

is the study of human communication verbal and non-verbal (body language), variation across time, social uses of language as well as the relationship between culture and language. Specifically accent, syntax, pronunciation, speed, and word choice.

What is archaeology?

it is the study of ancient Homo sapiens sapiens societies through the excavation and restoration of their artifacts and other physical remains, excavate ancient sites/civilizations that are no longer flourishing.

What is sociocultural anthropology?

it is the study of human culture and society, concerned with analyzing how culture affects people's world views and access to resources (such as ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation can affect your access to resources).

What is the focus of study in archeology?

study ancient architectural structures, buried treasures, pottery, human skeletons, as well as seeds. animal bones and soil types. To help us understand migration, what was the division of labor, what their city was like.

Who do anthropologists study?

the family of Hominidae (hominids). the family consists of all the great apes: Chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans, Homo sapiens sapiens and its extinct relatives and ancestors.(archaic humans: homo neanderthalensis, homo habilis, homo erectus,), and modern humans.

What is the goal of sociocultural subfield and give an example?

the goal is to promote tolerance and acceptance to human cultural differences, to promote cultural relativism and avoid ethnocentrism, create respect for other cultures and different beliefs, since humans have historically discriminated others based on differences. Example: your healing treatment and healing process, "evil eye story from Mexico" illness is rooted cultural beliefs can actually cause sickness, become you believe it' how culture literally affects your health.

What is the importance of archaeology and give an example?

the goal is to understand ancient humans by analyzing their remains and attempt to reconstruct the life style, world views and access to resources because the information discovered brings in tourism, sense of belonging, political disputes about land, as well as national history Example: indigenous people in American claim the government owes them land, so they have to prove it by providing artifacts, gravesite of family members who are on the land, will then be given the rightful owners of that reservation.

What is the goal of biological anthropology?

the goal is to understand human evolution and origins, as wells as our relationship to other species and archaic humans.

What is the goal of linguistic anthropology and give an example?

the goal of this subfield is to understand how culture affects language, and how language affects people's access to resources, it can also preserve and collect ancient knowledge.

what is anthropology?

the study of Homo sapien sapiens, examines our species across time and space, study from present humans to the first humans 250,000 years ago.

what is biological anthropology?

the study of human and non-human primates in their biological evolution and demographic dimensions, as well as major cultural aspects that affected human evolution.

What is the primary goal in anthropology?

to discover human universals which features of culture, society, language, magic/witchcraft, cooking, music/dancing, female nurturing, behavior, and psyche.

Why anthropologists study primates, its focus of study?

we study primates b/c they are our closest living relatives. All humans share 99.99% similar genetic makeup, 98.8% with chimpanzees, 97% with gorillas, and 96% with orangutans. The focus of study is to understand true human nature, the life of apes are less saturated with culture we can study human nature, evolution development of tools, language, spirituality, culture, and social hierarchy.