ANT 111 Physical Anthropology
Study Guide for Quiz #1


Chapters covered:
Ch. 1, Ch. 2, Ch. 3 (pp. 42-52 in general only, pp. 56-63 excluded),
Ch. 4 (pp. 77-83 excluded), Ch. 6, Ch. 7, Ch. 8 (pp. 176-187 in general only) 

Areas of focus:
What is anthropology?  Know the 4 kinds (cultural, physical, archaeology, linguistic)
Know 3 elements of anthropological perspective (holism, relativism, comparative) + continuity of natural processes
Do not worry about all the -ologies in Ch. 1
Know basically what makes a good argument (true premises and valid logic)

Know pre-evolutionary concepts: special creation, fixity of species, Great Chain of Being, "argument from design"
Have a general idea what each contributed to a scientific study of life: Linnaeus, Buffon, Lamarck, Lyell, Malthus
Know the outlines of Darwin's theory of natural selection (will not ask a general question on Darwin, since it was covered in your essay)
Know how Lamarck + Lyell + Malthus + natural observations = Darwin's theory

Know Mendel's research and "laws" (segregation, independent assortment, dominance)
Know generally how DNA "codes" for physical characteristics
Know phenotype versus genotype

Know population genetics: why does evolution mean populations, not individuals?
Be able to define population, gene pool, and gene frequency
Know processes in modern synthesis of evolution: mutation + natural selection
Know non-Darwinian processes: gene flow, genetic drift, preferential mating
Know "punctuated equilibrium"

Know meaning of genus and species
Know primitive versus derived
Know that evolution tends to be non-linear, irreversible, and non-goal-directed
Know basic primate physical characteristics (see pp. 121-2)
Know that primates and "arboreal adaptation"
Know BASIC classification of living primates (prosimians, anthropoids, monkeys, hominoids, apes, hominids, Homo)
Have a general knowledge of what characteristics make a primate a prosimian, monkey, ape, or hominid
DO NOT worry about scientific names for all the classes and species of primates

Know basic primate behavioral characteristics (Ch. 7)
Know how primate bodies make primate behavior possible
Understand the idea of biocultural evolution
Know about primate "culture" and "cognition"

Know the difference between a classification and a phylogeny
Be aware at the most basic level of the classification of animals and evolutionary history of life before primates (do not worry about specific dates or species names)
Know the basics of primate evolution: when did major groups of primates (prosimians, anthropoids, hominoids) first evolved
Be able to recognize names of fossil primates (Aegytopithecus, Proconsul, etc.)
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