Physical Anthropology - Exam 1 - Study
Guide
What are the 4 fields of Anthropology? Know about each field (i.e. What do they do and how do they
study it). - correct answer ✔✔1. Archaeology: The study of ancient culture and behavior in time and
space.
2. Biological/Physical Anthropology: the study of human biology within the framework of evolution, with
an emphasis on the interaction between biology and culture.
3. Linguistic Anthropology: Focuses on language.
Look at diversities and similarities in languages in different cultures.
4. Sociocultural Anthropology: The study of human culture and society.
Know about the subfields of Biological Anthropology. - correct answer ✔✔Primatology - the study of the
biology and behavior of nonhuman primates.
Paleoanthropology - the study of anatomical and behavioral human evolution as revealed in the fossil
record.
Osteology - the study of the skeleton
Forensic Anthropology - using an anthropological framework to help solve legal matters.
Bioarchaeology
Paleopathology - the study of disease and trauma in ancient skeletal populations.
Molecular Anthropology - analyses evolutionary relationships between species through DNA sequencing
analysis.
What is the difference between a Genus and a Species? Know what each of these terms mean. - correct
answer ✔✔A genus encompasses a group of species that are closely related. Species is the most specific
level of scientific classification, which typically groups animals that are so similar that, when they breed,
they produce fertile offspring.
What does biocultural evolution refer to? - correct answer ✔✔Biocultural evolution is an evolutionally
process which arises as a result of interactions between different cultures and biological factors
throughout the history of human evolution. The term biocultural evolution describes cultural behaviors
and biological factors influence to human evolution.
, What are cultural behaviors? - correct answer ✔✔Human behaviors that are learned.
Understand the steps and goals in the scientific method and what each step accomplishes. - correct
answer ✔✔Scientific method - after a problem is identified, a hypothesis is stated and tested through
the analysis of data.
Hypothesis - a provisional explanation of a phenomenon. Hypotheses require verification or falsification
through testing.
How is creation different than evolution?
Understand the vocabulary presented in the text related to both these concepts. - correct answer
✔✔Creationism: The belief that God created all species and that they are unchanging.
-Biological differences between species were created.
-Fixity of species - once a species is created it cannot change.
Evolution is a two stage process:
1. the production and redistribution of variation (inherited differences among organisms)
2. Natural selection acting on this variation, whereby inherited differences, or variations, among
individuals differentially affect their ability to successfully reproduce.
What was John Ray's contribution to biology? - correct answer ✔✔John Ray developed the biological
concept of a species.
Reproductively isolated - groups of organisms that are prevented from breeding and creating fertile
offspring due to genetic differences.
What was Linnaeus' contribution to biology? - correct answer ✔✔Linnaeus - expanded on these
concepts and added class and order in 1735.
Introduced binomial nomenclature - genus + species (Homo sapiens)
Taxonomy - a branch of science concerned with the rules of classifying organisms on the basis of
evolutionary relationships.
Guide
What are the 4 fields of Anthropology? Know about each field (i.e. What do they do and how do they
study it). - correct answer ✔✔1. Archaeology: The study of ancient culture and behavior in time and
space.
2. Biological/Physical Anthropology: the study of human biology within the framework of evolution, with
an emphasis on the interaction between biology and culture.
3. Linguistic Anthropology: Focuses on language.
Look at diversities and similarities in languages in different cultures.
4. Sociocultural Anthropology: The study of human culture and society.
Know about the subfields of Biological Anthropology. - correct answer ✔✔Primatology - the study of the
biology and behavior of nonhuman primates.
Paleoanthropology - the study of anatomical and behavioral human evolution as revealed in the fossil
record.
Osteology - the study of the skeleton
Forensic Anthropology - using an anthropological framework to help solve legal matters.
Bioarchaeology
Paleopathology - the study of disease and trauma in ancient skeletal populations.
Molecular Anthropology - analyses evolutionary relationships between species through DNA sequencing
analysis.
What is the difference between a Genus and a Species? Know what each of these terms mean. - correct
answer ✔✔A genus encompasses a group of species that are closely related. Species is the most specific
level of scientific classification, which typically groups animals that are so similar that, when they breed,
they produce fertile offspring.
What does biocultural evolution refer to? - correct answer ✔✔Biocultural evolution is an evolutionally
process which arises as a result of interactions between different cultures and biological factors
throughout the history of human evolution. The term biocultural evolution describes cultural behaviors
and biological factors influence to human evolution.
, What are cultural behaviors? - correct answer ✔✔Human behaviors that are learned.
Understand the steps and goals in the scientific method and what each step accomplishes. - correct
answer ✔✔Scientific method - after a problem is identified, a hypothesis is stated and tested through
the analysis of data.
Hypothesis - a provisional explanation of a phenomenon. Hypotheses require verification or falsification
through testing.
How is creation different than evolution?
Understand the vocabulary presented in the text related to both these concepts. - correct answer
✔✔Creationism: The belief that God created all species and that they are unchanging.
-Biological differences between species were created.
-Fixity of species - once a species is created it cannot change.
Evolution is a two stage process:
1. the production and redistribution of variation (inherited differences among organisms)
2. Natural selection acting on this variation, whereby inherited differences, or variations, among
individuals differentially affect their ability to successfully reproduce.
What was John Ray's contribution to biology? - correct answer ✔✔John Ray developed the biological
concept of a species.
Reproductively isolated - groups of organisms that are prevented from breeding and creating fertile
offspring due to genetic differences.
What was Linnaeus' contribution to biology? - correct answer ✔✔Linnaeus - expanded on these
concepts and added class and order in 1735.
Introduced binomial nomenclature - genus + species (Homo sapiens)
Taxonomy - a branch of science concerned with the rules of classifying organisms on the basis of
evolutionary relationships.
