Anthropology 100

Fall 2016
Rich Blanton
Study Guides for Quiz 1 and Exam 1

1. Items only for Quiz 1 These terms and concepts will not be included on Exam 1
These items are from recitations (week of Aug. 22) and chapter 2 in the text, pages
19-23 and 29-31:
biological variation of a population
heritability of traits to offspring; the gene is the basic unit of
trait transmission (genes are segments of chromosomes
that are made up of nuclear DNA molecules
another kind of DNA, called mtDNA , or mitochondrial DNA, is
also found in the cell but serves only in cell functioning and does
not carry genetic information)
Key aspects of biological change (biological evolution) in a population (this is the
basis for the first quiz):
mutation
natural selection
drift (also called founder effect or Wright effect)
gene flow

2. Study Guide for Exam 1 (from lectures, recitations, and the assigned reading)
biological anthropology
primatology
human paleontology
osteology
human variation
cultural anthropology
paleoanthropology (human culture prior to symbolic communication)
anthropological archaeology
linguistics
ethnology (also called cultural anthropology or ethnography)
applied anthropology (practice anthropology)

Living Primates Compared With Other Mammals

arboreal adaptation
omnivorous diet
prehensility
opposable thumbs
finger nails (with few exceptions)
stereoscopic vision
emphasis on visual communication in social interactions
The Primate Grades:
Prosimians (example, Lemur):
quadrupedal locomotion and vertical clinging and leaping; few
vocalizations; long snout inhibits vocal and facial communication;
highly developed olfactory communication system
Anthropoids:
(we emphasize Old World monkeys)
quadrupedal locomotion, reduced snout; up to 30 facial and vocal
communicative elements; color vision; increase in social grooming
and other forms of cooperation; increase in facial musculature, facial
expressions, and social gaze
--terrestrially-adapted species such as baboons live in large
groups; males are large and dangerous for group defense (sexual
dimorphism)
Hominoids:
apes (living examples: gibbon, orangutan, gorilla, bonobo, chimpanzee)
suspensory locomotion (brachiation) and relatively upright
terrestrial walking postures such as knuckle walking; tool use
requiring temporal displacement (mental time travel); up to 70
communicative elements; more cultural transmission of knowledge; highly
developed forms of Theory of Mind (ToM) abilities in some species
"Theory of Mind" (the mind reading of others to better predict the behavior of self
and others). ToM mind reading depends in part on shared attention, including
analysis of gaze, analysis of facial expression and body position and movement.
ToM is associated with well-developed sense of the differences between the
thinking of self and others in adult humans and some apes. This ability allows for
an understanding that others have thoughts including, possibly, false beliefs (for
example, children age 4 or younger have difficulty understanding that another
person might not know something they know, or might have different beliefs). ToM
also makes deception possible.

More Hominoids:
Hominids: Includes the Australopithecines and genus Homo:
This is a large and diverse category but overall there is a tendency
toward generalized teeth, arch-shaped jaw, bipedality (associated with a central
location of the foramen magnum and curvature of the spine);
gradual loss of foot-grasping; also probable: carrying, throwing,
and food sharing
among the hominids, only genus Homo is exceptionally large-brained
Hominid details:
genus Australopithecus (australopithecines)(bipedal, but with an apelike brain of +/- 400-500 cc); found in Africa only, with a probable
Savanna (terrestrial) adaptation (the names of the diverse species of the
australopithecines are not relevant to this course)
early genus Homo (sometimes called Homo habilis)
increasing cranial capacity (encephalization)(+/- 600-800 cc, larger than
Australopithecines, and more reduction of face, teeth, and jaws than
Australopithecines); the earliest evidence for brain cerebral asymmetry;
changes in the female pelvis
More on early genus Homo: Technical Intelligence as indicated by an increased
complexity and efficiency of chipped-stone tools since roughly 2.5 MYA (e.g., the
production-step index and length of cutting edge per volume of core material)
Olduvai Gorge
Oldowan tool assemblage
Ideas to consider:
--African savanna hypothesis
--percussion flaking, brain cerebral asymmetry, and handedness hypothesis
--development of technical intelligence: learning and teaching production steps;
knowledge of geology of core materials; economics of stone use
--home base theory in relation to: bipedalism and carrying, growth in
brain size (and its costs), changes in female pelvis, period of infant
food sharing, continuous female sexuality; biparenting (including possible pairbonding)

--expensive tissue hypothesis (associated with dietary changes, tool use, cooking
of food; and reduced gut physiology and digestive energy costs; loss of muscle
mass by comparison with other primates)
Later genus Homo:
Homo erectus
know: basic physical features, inc. cranial capacity (+/- 1,000 cc)
and post-cranial modernity; Acheulean tool assemblage (Lower
Paleolithic); fire use (possibly as early as 800,000 YA) and clothing; large-game
hunting; adaptive radiation to Eurasia, Asia, and Europe, including to temperate
climates such as northern China
Homo erectus to Homo sapiens transition
(archaic H. sapiens)
know: basic physical features inc. cranial capacity (+/- 1,400 cc);
example: Neandertals in Europe and the Middle East and Denisovans
in Europe and Northern Asia
Neandertals:
can live in very cold climates
Middle Paleolithic (Mousterian) tool assemblages
possible burial of dead and funerary ritual evidence for symbolic
communication and human cultural intelligence)
some interbreeding with early Homo sapiens sapiens
Origins and Adaptive Radiation of Homo sapiens sapiens
out of Africa after 100,000 YA; adaptive radiation to Eurasia, Australia, New
World, and the Pacific Islands
cultural intelligence includes modes of symbolic communication such as
items of personal adornment and designs inscribed on stone
growth in technology: heat-treated stone tools; red ochre; adhesives;
pressure-flaked blade technology
Multi-Regional Theory
Single-Origin Theory
Assimulation Theory

Time Line for First Exam (MYA means million years ago; YA means years ago):
Homo sapiens sapiens in Africa after about 160,000 YA; out of Africa by 100,000
YA +/-20,000 years
archaic Homo sapiens (inc. Neandertals and Denisovans) 500,000 to 150,00 YA
and later in some areas (could still be found in European refugia, possibly as late
as 42,000 YA)
Homo erectus
1.8 MYA (Africa) lasting up to +/-400,000 YA
-migrated from Africa to South and East Asia (northern China) and Europe
between about 1.7 MYA and 900,000 YA
Homo habilis

Roughly 2.5 MYA to 1.5 MYA (Africa only)

Earliest chipped stone tools roughly 2.5 MYA (Africa)

Australopithecines

4 to 1 MYA (Africa only)

Earliest indications of possible early hominid (bipedal) ancestors that

split from ancestors of chimpanzees and gorillas 5 to 7 MYA
Earliest hominoids
24 MYA
Earliest anthropoids, Africa, Asia, New World 34 MYA
Earliest primates
65 MYA