Turning tides: prospects for more diversity in cognitive science

This conclusion of the debate on anthropology's role in cognitive science provides some clarifications and an overview of emergent themes. It also lists, as cases of good practice, some examples of productive cross-disciplinary collaboration that evince a forward momentum in the relationship between anthropology and the other cognitive sciences.     

Cognitive anthropological fieldwork

In their introduction, Beller et al. point to important issues regarding the problematic interaction of anthropology and cognitive sciences (CS). I address some of these issues in stressing first some limitations of the current state of the fields of anthropology and CS. In the second half of this article, using data from studies I have been conducting among the Yucatec Mayas (Mexico), I present some concrete cases where anthropological and CS methods and approaches are complementary. Finally, I propose some solutions to find common ground and ways to improve cross-disciplinary collaboration.     

新疆锡伯族青年体型及体质特征调查

目的 确定锡伯族青年体质特征变化及差异,营养及发育状况改变,为体育选材、临床、机器制造、国防工业、卫生保健提供科学依据。方法 对新疆察布查尔县锡伯族青年进行了十五年追踪调查,采用吴汝康等人体测量方法对锡伯族青年躯干、四肢３０余项测量数据及主要体征的指数作１５年对比、比较分析,追踪分析。结果 得出了两个时期新疆锡伯族青年的身高、体型、腿型及指距身高指数、腿长指数等。结论 两个时期锡伯族青年平均身高变化不大,仅男性１５年后增长０．４１％,男女性以高型为主,依指距身高指数变化不大,腿长指数,１５年前锡伯族男性腿长均长于女性,按马氏躯干腿长指数属中腿型,１５年前后锡铂族体型均属中等偏宽短型,１５年前锡伯族男性属长躯干型,１５年后男女性均属中躯干型,按胸围指数较粗壮。     

Evaluation of the usage of the cervical 7th vertebra in sex estimation with measurements on computerized tomography images

Sex estimation is the primary step in biological profiling via identification using skeletal elements. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the usefulness of the seventh cervical vertebra for sex estimation. The cervical computed tomography scans of 200 female and 200 male patients aged ≥ 20 years were analyzed. Eight different measurements of the seventh cervical vertebra were performed, including the transverse and anteroposterior diameters of the foramen vertebra, transverse and anteroposterior diameters of the corpus vertebra inferior surface, height of the corpus vertebra, corpus vertebrae-spinous process angle, and height and length of the spinous process. Independent two-sample t-test was performed; significant differences were observed between the sexes in all measurements except corpus vertebrae-spinous process angle. Further, univariate logistic regression analyses revealed that the length of spinous process showed the highest dimorphism. Among the univariate models created, the model obtained using only the length of the spinous process reached an accuracy rate of 80 %. Multivariate logistic regression analysis (via Forward LR Wald) was used for sex estimation with an accuracy of up to 90.8 % (89 % for men and 92.5 % for women). In conclusion, the seventh cervical vertebra is dimorphic in the Turkish population and allows sex estimation with high accuracy rates.