Science Homework Help. ACC Astronomy Challenging Common Perceptions of Societal Norms Discussion
Background:
The social construct of race is often use as an example of how culture shapes our perceptions of others based on outward biological variation. Here, I would like to explore two recent anthropological studies that challenge other common assumptions in many societies.
Instructions:
These two studies use biological anthropology (combined with archaeological evidence in the case of the big game hunter) to challenge popular notions of societal norms and biological variation in humans. Read each article and answer the questions below.
Upload your final answers as a PDF or Word file or enter into the text box.
1) First, this publication by Holly Dunsworth 
Download this publication by Holly Dunsworthlooks at alternative explanations for biological sex differences in humans.
- What is sexual dimorphism?
- What popular concepts are being challenged?
- What evidence does Dr. Dunsworth use to back up her ideas? (i.e. What may be the underlying cause for these differences?)
2) Second, this publication indicates that women likely participated in big game hunting around 9000 years ago (Links to an external site.).
- What popular notions of gender roles are challenged by this research?
- Why do these researchers think past big game hunting by women was more common than previously thought?
3) What is the relevance of these two studies to one another? (Hint: Be sure to read the end of Dunsworth’s paper.)
