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Anthropological Research. Theories, Questions, Scales, Data, and Models . Anthropological Research. Research begins with an idea or question about something: From the literature Derived from a theory or model From a discovery of a pattern in the data - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Anthropological Research
Theories, Questions, Scales, Data, and Models
Anthropological Research• Research begins with an idea or
question about something:– From the literature– Derived from a theory or model– From a discovery of a pattern in the
data• The purpose of research is to
evaluate the support for that idea
Theories in Anthropology• Linked sets of statements about
how people behave and why, e.g.– Zipf’s Law of the Minimum – people
minimize their effort– Cultural Ecology – people behave in
ways that harmonize with their environment
– Behavioral Ecology – natural selection shapes our behavior
Kinds of Theories in Anthropology
• Biology (population genetics)• Environment/Ecology (exogenous)• Demography (endogenous)• Culture (innovation, diffusion,
migration, interaction, stratification)
• Psychology (individual needs/wants/ strategic action)
Who Questions• Who has power?• Who has wealth?• Who is related to whom?• Who were the first agriculturalists?• Who were the first Americans/
Australians?
What Questions• What do people call their kin?• What are the rules for dividing
shares?• What kind of houses do they build?• What was this artifact used for?• What disturbances have altered
the site?
When Questions• When did the first humans
emerge?• When did agriculture begin?• When did Western influences
become important?• When was the New World
colonized?
Where Questions• Where do people live, work, play?• Where are various activities
performed?• Where are people buried?
Why Questions• Why do people believe in . . . ?• Why do people do . . . ?• Why was agriculture invented?• Why are pots decorated?• Why did states emerge?
How Questions• How was Australia colonized?• How did the Indo European
language spread?• How did human culture emerge?• How do people classify . . .?• How does globalization affect local
culture?
Scale• Global view – big picture processes• Temporal view – periods, phases• Regional view – social networks,
territories• Local view – neighborhood• Site/Village view – structure,
context• Individual view – life history, types
Global View• Climate, soils, topography,
ecological zones, isolation, ocean currents
• Data on cultures, nations – demography, economy, ideology
• Broad patterns between global characteristics and culture
Temporal View• Archaeological time/space charts
spanning millennia• Historical timelines spanning
centuries• Generational data• Life history data
Regional View• Environmental variability at
regional level – rivers, mountains, vegetation, ecological communities
• Locations of sites/villages• Characteristics of sites/villages
Site/Village View• Site neighborhood• Location of structures, features,
artifact clusters• Household composition• Variability
Household View• Location (within village/site)• Pattern of structures, features, and
activity areas• Comparison with other households
Individual View• Physiology, genetic makeup,
skeletal characteristics• Life history• Statuses and roles• Decision making• Belief system
Individual (Artifact) View• Group (classification)• Composition• Properties – size, shape, color,
quality, wear, breakage, material, Style vs. Function
Models• A model uses a theory to develop
expectations about what kinds of patterns we will find in the data
• Models use theories and operational arguments to tell us what is important in the data
• Statistics can help evaluate the fit between model and data
Evaluation• Must check reasoning from theory
to model• Must check operational arguments
and proxy measures• Must check data gathering process• Must check role of formation
processes
Quantitative Approaches• Estimation and Confirmation
– Sampling– Parametric vs. Non-parametric– Response (Dependent) vs.
Explanatory (Independent) variables (causal models)
• Descriptive– Data Reduction, Pattern Recognition
(Exploratory Data Analysis)
Kinds of Data• Scales of measurement – nominal,
ordinal, interval, ratio (dichotomy)• Discrete vs. Continuous• Composition/Assemblage
(Percentages)