Overview
This lecture introduces the five subdisciplines of anthropology, focusing on biological anthropology, its subfields, and how human biology is shaped by genetics, culture, and environment.
The Five Subdisciplines of Anthropology
- The five subdisciplines are biological anthropology, archaeology, cultural anthropology, linguistic anthropology, and applied anthropology.
- Each week of the course is devoted to one of these subdisciplines.
Biological Anthropology
- Also called physical anthropology, it studies human biology in an evolutionary context.
- Focuses on human biological diversity across time and space.
- Examines questions like human differences from primates, origins of Homo sapiens, and effects of environment on biology and health.
- Uses a biocultural approach: considering biology, culture, and environment in shaping individuals and populations.
Subfields of Biological Anthropology
Primatology
- Studies non-human primates, both living and extinct.
- Explores relationships, similarities, and differences between humans and other primates.
- Focuses on social organization, communication, diet, infant care, and mating behaviors.
- Famous primatologists include Jane Goodall.
Paleoanthropology
- Examines fossil records to understand human and primate evolution.
- Recovers fossils and artifacts, investigates changes over time, and places them in evolutionary context.
Human Population Biology
- Investigates how human biology is shaped by genetics, environment, and culture.
- Body shapes adapt to climate: larger bodies retain heat in cold (Bergmann’s rule), longer limbs dissipate heat in hot climates (Allen’s rule).
- Childhood nutrition and illness can affect growth and development.
Modifications and Artifacts in Human Biology
- Human bones can be modified by culture and environment, serving as artifacts for studying behavior.
- Examples: head wrapping for status, cradle boarding for infant carrying, trepanation for surgery, bone changes from diseases like syphilis.
- Bone modifications can indicate cultural practices or health issues.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Biological Anthropology — Study of human biology within an evolutionary context.
- Biocultural Approach — Examining the interaction between biology, culture, and environment.
- Primatology — Study of non-human primates.
- Paleoanthropology — Study of human and primate fossils.
- Human Population Biology — Study of variation in human populations due to genetics, environment, and culture.
- Bergmann’s Rule — Larger body types are adapted to cold environments.
- Allen’s Rule — Longer limbs are adaptations for dissipating heat.
- Trepanning — Surgical technique creating holes in skulls, sometimes for medical or ritual purposes.
- Syphilis — Sexually transmitted disease causing bone damage if untreated.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review Chapter One on the subdisciplines of anthropology.
- Begin to think about how human biology is influenced by genetics, culture, and environment.
- Prepare to discuss examples of cultural modifications to the body in class.