What is Biological anthropology and its relation to other disciplines?
Introduction
Anthropology is the holistic and comparative study of
humanity. It is the systematic explanation of human biological and cultural
diversity examining the origins of and changes in human biology and culture.
Anthropology provides an explanation for the similarities and differences while undergoing
through such a process.
The four subfields of anthropology are
- Biological or physical Anthropology,
- Social or Cultural Anthropology,
- Pre Historic Archaeology and
- Linguistic Anthropology
biological diversity in time and space. It includes the evolution of humans,
their variability, and adaptation to environmental stresses.
Biological Anthropology and its relation to other disciplines or sciences
- Paleontology
A paleoanthropologist is a paleontologist who studies the
fossil record of human evolution.
Osteologists (The study of bones) help paleoanthropologists,
who examine skulls, teeth, and bones to identify human ancestors and to chant
changes in anatomy over time.
Primatology
Biological anthropology also includes primatology.
The
primate includes our closest relatives Apes and monkeys.
Primatologists study prosimians
monkeys and apes.
In order to understand features that make each group distinct
and those that link they together. Primatologists study their biology, evolution,
and social life often in their natural environments.
Primatology also assists paleoanthropology because primate behavior
may shed light on early human behavior and human nature.
Biological Anthropology and its relation to other disciplines or sciences in Odia language
- Psychology
Psychology is another leading subfield of biological
anthropology.
The main approach used in psychological anthropology for a better
understanding of human behavior is the assessment of Stress levels and their
causes acting on a person.
- Forensic Science Anthropology
Forensic anthropology deals with the past remains excavated from various archaeological sites.
It also uses the study of skeletal
biology to assist in the identification and analysis of more recently deceased
individuals.
In addition to this various techniques of forensic science such as
dermatoglyphics, serology, ballistics, DNA analysis, etc. are used from solving
numerous Situations.
- Physiology
An important aspect of human variation which is the main
focus of biological anthropology includes how different groups respond
physiologically to different kinds of environmentally induced stress is also studied
on common ground with the physiologists. Such stresses may include high
altitude, cold, and heat. Apart from this the circulatory system and the respiratory
system of humans are studied in great detail with a physiological perspective.
- Geology
Geology is the study of the nature and structural patterns of
the earth.
Its landforms, rock formation, various strata of the earth, their
formation, etc.
Anthropologists work closely with geologists and employ geological
tools in order to reconstruct aspects of past environmental and ecological
contexts from the time of our earliest human ancestors to that of modern
peoples.
- Anatomy
Anatomy is one of the important areas of interest for
biological anthropologists.
In living organisms, bones and teeth are intimately
linked to the soft tissues that surround and act on them.
Consequently for a
thorough knowledge of soft tissue anatomy is essential to understand the biochemical
relationships involved in movement such relationships are important in
assessing the structure and function of limbs and other components of fossilized
remains. Not only this but also for assessing the evolution of different body
parts and organs among the organisms.
Summary
The study of biological or physical anthropology is
characterized by a wide dimension.
Man is not only a complex and highly evolved
animal but his life and behavior pattern are extremely complicated.
Thus, the
study of biological anthropology centering round biological developments of man
and conditioned by cultural activities will not be perfectly made illustrative without
going into studies of different Sciences on the other hand physical
anthropology shares the views of the scientific disciplines, and most of the
time close integration of ideal is found herein.