Biological Anthropology Exam 1
Questions and Answers
Anthropology - Answers -The study of humankind, integrates sociology, economics,
political science, history, and biology.
What are the 4 subfields anthropology? - Answers -Biological
Archeology
Cultural
Lingustics
Cultural Anthropology - Answers -studies how human societies adapt to local conditions
using learned, socially-transmitted behaviors. (The study of human culture and society)
What does Cultural anthropology focus on? - Answers -Focused on "exotic", non
western societies
Urban Anthropology - Answers -deals with issues of inner cities
Medical Anthropology - Answers -explores relationship between culture and health.
Archaeology - Answers -Study and interpretation of material remains recovered from
earlier cultures in order to understand past human behaviors.
What does Archaeology focus on? - Answers -largely deals with the past
Linguistic - Answers -study of the origin, variation, and relationships if language and
language groups among human societies
What doe linguistics focus on? - Answers -The use of language is a unique human
characteristic
Biological - Answers -The study of the human biology and behavior within an
evolutionary context
What are 3 major criteria of anthropology? - Answers -Evolutionary, Comparative, and
Holistic
Evolutionary - Answers -The descent with modifications of different lineages from
common ancestors, and ultimately, one common ancestor. All forms of life are related
by unbroken chains of descent.
, Comparative - Answers -Gaining knowledge about a topic by looking at the similarities
and difference among two or more groups, cultures, species, etc. who possesses the
topic we're interested in.
Holistic - Answers -Understanding phenomena by looking at it in its entirety.
Emphasizes interrelationships.
Primate - Answers -a group of mammals comprising prosimians (e.g. lemurs) monkey,
apes, and humans
Species - Answers -A group of similarly looking organisms capable of interbreeding
Evolutionary tree - Answers -a diagram showing evolutionary relationships among
species or groups of species
Hominid - Answers -A bipedal member of the evolutionary lineage leading to modern
human. There is one living (us) and many extinct ones.
What is the scope of biological anthropology? - Answers -The study of the human
biology and behavior within an evolutionary context. The evolutionary and comparative
analysis of humans as members of the primate lineage.
What are the specializations within biological anthropology? - Answers -Anthropological
genetics, human biology, paleoanthropology, primate paleontology, primatology,
forensic anthropology.
Genetics - Answers -The study of inherited traits
What are the primary data we gather from studying genetics? - Answers -genes and
chromosomes
Transmission Genetics - Answers -The study of how traits are passed on from parent to
offspring
Population Genetics - Answers -The study of how genes are distributed within an
interbreeding group
Human Biology - Answers -The study of human variation with respect to evolution and
physiology
What are the primary data we gather from studying human biology - Answers -Modern
human traits and features (nutrition, anatomical variation, human growth, human fertility,
human endocrinology, human genetics)
Paleoanthropology - Answers -The interdisciplinary study of human origins. "
Questions and Answers
Anthropology - Answers -The study of humankind, integrates sociology, economics,
political science, history, and biology.
What are the 4 subfields anthropology? - Answers -Biological
Archeology
Cultural
Lingustics
Cultural Anthropology - Answers -studies how human societies adapt to local conditions
using learned, socially-transmitted behaviors. (The study of human culture and society)
What does Cultural anthropology focus on? - Answers -Focused on "exotic", non
western societies
Urban Anthropology - Answers -deals with issues of inner cities
Medical Anthropology - Answers -explores relationship between culture and health.
Archaeology - Answers -Study and interpretation of material remains recovered from
earlier cultures in order to understand past human behaviors.
What does Archaeology focus on? - Answers -largely deals with the past
Linguistic - Answers -study of the origin, variation, and relationships if language and
language groups among human societies
What doe linguistics focus on? - Answers -The use of language is a unique human
characteristic
Biological - Answers -The study of the human biology and behavior within an
evolutionary context
What are 3 major criteria of anthropology? - Answers -Evolutionary, Comparative, and
Holistic
Evolutionary - Answers -The descent with modifications of different lineages from
common ancestors, and ultimately, one common ancestor. All forms of life are related
by unbroken chains of descent.
, Comparative - Answers -Gaining knowledge about a topic by looking at the similarities
and difference among two or more groups, cultures, species, etc. who possesses the
topic we're interested in.
Holistic - Answers -Understanding phenomena by looking at it in its entirety.
Emphasizes interrelationships.
Primate - Answers -a group of mammals comprising prosimians (e.g. lemurs) monkey,
apes, and humans
Species - Answers -A group of similarly looking organisms capable of interbreeding
Evolutionary tree - Answers -a diagram showing evolutionary relationships among
species or groups of species
Hominid - Answers -A bipedal member of the evolutionary lineage leading to modern
human. There is one living (us) and many extinct ones.
What is the scope of biological anthropology? - Answers -The study of the human
biology and behavior within an evolutionary context. The evolutionary and comparative
analysis of humans as members of the primate lineage.
What are the specializations within biological anthropology? - Answers -Anthropological
genetics, human biology, paleoanthropology, primate paleontology, primatology,
forensic anthropology.
Genetics - Answers -The study of inherited traits
What are the primary data we gather from studying genetics? - Answers -genes and
chromosomes
Transmission Genetics - Answers -The study of how traits are passed on from parent to
offspring
Population Genetics - Answers -The study of how genes are distributed within an
interbreeding group
Human Biology - Answers -The study of human variation with respect to evolution and
physiology
What are the primary data we gather from studying human biology - Answers -Modern
human traits and features (nutrition, anatomical variation, human growth, human fertility,
human endocrinology, human genetics)
Paleoanthropology - Answers -The interdisciplinary study of human origins. "
