Biological Anthropology and its relation to other discipline

What is Biological anthropology and its relation to other discipline?

 

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 or Physical Anthropology.

 Biological or Physical Anthropology deals with human 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.