1. Chapter One
What Is Anthropology?

2. What We Will Learn
How does anthropology differ from other social and behavioral sciences?
What is the four- field approach to the discipline of anthropology?
How can anthropology help solve social problems?
What is meant by “cultural relativism,” and why is it important?
What skills will students develop from the study of anthropology?

3. What is Anthropology? Anthropology is the study of people
their origins
their development, and contemporary variations
wherever and whenever they have been found.

4. Branches of Anthropology: Physical Anthropology
Paleontology
Primatology
Human variation
Forensic Anthropology
Applied Physical Anthropology

5. Branches of Anthropology: Archaeology
Historical archaeology
Prehistoric archaeology
Contract archaeology
Applied archaeology

6. Branches of Anthropology: Anthropological Linguistics
Historical linguistics
Descriptive linguistics
Ethnolinguistics
Sociolinguistics
Applied linguistics

7. Branches of Anthropology: Cultural Anthropology
Economic anthropology
Psychological anthropology
Educational anthropology
Medical anthropology
Urban anthropology
Political anthropology
Applied cultural anthropology

8. Physical Anthropology
Study of humans from a biological perspective.
Areas of investigation:
Paleoanthropology - emergence of humans and how humans have evolved.
Human variation - how and why the physical traits of human populations vary.

9. Primatology
Study of anatomy and social behavior of nonhuman primate species: gorillas, baboons, and chimpanzees.
Effort to learn about human evolution by studying contemporary nonhuman primates in similar environments.
Tool-making skills found in chimpanzees help explain human strategies for adapting to the environment.

10. Archaeology
Study people from the past by analyzing material culture they leave behind:
Artifacts Example: tools, arrowheads.
Features Examples: foundations and fireplaces.
Ecofacts Examples: bones, seeds, and wood.

11. Archaeologists Historic archaeologists:
Reconstruct the cultures of people who used writing and about whom historical documents have been written.
Prehistoric archaeologists:
Study the human record of cultures that existed before the development of writing.

12. Anthropological Linguistics
Historical linguistics
Study of emergence of language and how specific languages have diverged over time.
Descriptive linguistics
Study of sound systems, grammatical systems, and the meanings attached to words in specific languages.

13. Anthropological Linguistics
Ethnolinguistics
Study the relationship between language and culture.
Sociolinguistics
Study the relationship between language and social relations.

14. Cultural Anthropology
Areas of Specialization
Urban anthropology
Medical anthropology
Educational anthropology
Psychological anthropology

15. Holism
A distinguishing feature of the discipline of anthropology is its holistic approach to the study of human groups.
Anthropology involves both biological and sociocultural aspects of humanity.
The time frame goes from the earliest beginnings of humans to the present.
Anthropology studies all varieties of people wherever they may be found.

16. Holism
Anthropology studies many different aspects of human experience:
Family structure
Marital regulations
House construction
Methods of conflict resolution
Means of livelihood
Religious beliefs
Language
Space usage, and art

17. Responding to Unfamiliar Cultures
Ethnocentrically
Responding from the context of one’s own cultural perspective.
Cultural relativist
Responding within the context of the other culture.

18. Limits of Cultural Relativism
If every society is unique and can only be evaluated in terms of its own standards, a cross-cultural comparison impossible.
There is no behavior that could be considered immoral if the people who practice it consider it acceptable or it functions for the well-being of the society.

19. Emic Versus Etic Approaches
The emic approach (insider view) seeks to describe another culture in terms of the categories, concepts, and perceptions of the people being studied.
In the etic approach (outsider view), anthropologists use their own categories and concepts to describe the culture under analysis.

20. Value of Anthropology Individual
The study of different cultures provides a better understanding of one’s own culture and develops valuable leadership skills.
Societal
Understanding different cultures can contribute to the solution of pressing societal problems.

21. Quick Quiz

22. The study of humans from a biological perspective is called
anthropological linguistics.
zoology.
forensic anthropology.
physical anthropology.

23. Answer: d
The study of humans from a biological perspective is physical anthropology.

24. 2. ________ are objects that have been made or modified by human beings.
Features
Objects
Artifacts
Ecofacts

25. Answer: c
Artifacts are objects that have been made or modified by human beings.

26. 3. A distinguishing feature of anthropology is its ________ approach to the study of human groups.
emic
etic
ethnocentric
holistic

27. Answer: d
A distinguishing feature of anthropology is its holistic approach to the study of human groups.

28. 4. Cultural relativism is the idea that any part of culture must be viewed in its proper cultural context.
True
False

29. Answer: true
Cultural relativism is the idea that any part of culture must be viewed in its proper cultural context.

30. 5. ________ is the belief that one's own culture is superior to all others.
Holism
Ethnocentrism
Cultural relativism
Emeticism

31. Answer: b
Ethnocentrism is the belief that one's own culture is superior to all others.