Biology of recent populations
This subfield of anthropology studies Recent populations by comparing the variability of today’s populations. The main focus is based on non-pathological characters and their genetical, biochemical, serological, and physiological variability is analysed. One of the ultimate goals is to compass human diversity and to understand the social and geographical causes.
The complexity of this topic creates a network of diverse interdisciplinary cooperations: geography, climatology, occupational and environmental medicine, epidemiology, sports and nutrition science, social and cultural science, psychology, education science, and jurisprudence.
The subect area of anthropology extends from the genetic structure of human beings to complicated patterns of sociobiological problems. Adaptive behaviour patterns can be explained by our phylogenetic fate and could help to bring forward human self-conception.
Diverse levels of research (molecular level - organic level - demographic level) deal with contemporary human beings. Fields of research are:
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Population biology
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Human genetics
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Developmental biology
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Somatology
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Human physiology
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Ethology
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Human ecology
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Gender research
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Demography
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Anthropological gerontology
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Essential aspects rely on geographic anthropology (which considers especially the causes of the distribution of characters) and population biology (which considers demographic and biological reasons for population development in the course of history, e.g. migration). Sociobiology joins genetics, ethology, and ecology together and tries to explain human behaviour by using well-known evolutionary patterns.
According to the different subfields many methodological approaches (e.g. biochemical or magnetic resonance imaging) are applied. Carrying out investigations should definitively be in accord with the declarations of Helsinki (PDF).
Biological anthropology does not only accomplish fundamental research but also deals with scientific application:
- Forensics (e.g. identification of individuals)
- Industrial anthropology
In the face of future demographic development, anthropological gerontology represents a current subfield. Ageing (morphology, ?energy budget, biomechanics, senses, myology, hormone physiology, cardiovascular system,…), the discrimination of natural (biological) and pathological changes, and the attempts of improving the well being of seniors are important topics. Other essential subfields are sociobiological gerontology (investment of the grandparents, biographies, everyday life- experience) and demographic gerontology (expectancy of life, rate of seniors). Another important basis are interdisciplinary co-operations with physicians, psychologists or social scientists. Our society will definitively benefit by these results!
Links to lecturers
