5(a) Adaptive primate radiation
10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper I > 1.5 Characteristics of Primates > Evolutionary trend and primate taxonomy
Genetico-environmental Factors Affecting Human Growth — 2019 Paper I
Question · 2019 · Paper I · 10 Marks
Genetico-environmental factors affecting human growth
Model Answer
VAID ICSApproach
- Demand of Question: Explain how genetic potential and environmental conditions interact in determining human growth.
- Structuring the Response: Discuss heredity and major environmental influences, emphasizing growth as a gene-environment interaction.
- Key Dimensions to Cover: Heritability, nutrition, hormones, disease, socioeconomic status, psychosocial stress and developmental plasticity.
Model Answer
Introduction: Human growth is a biocultural process resulting from interaction between inherited genetic potential and environmental conditions throughout development. Neither genes nor environment alone determines final body size or maturation.
Genetic factors:
- Polygenic inheritance: Stature, body proportions and growth rate are influenced by numerous genes.
- Sex: Genetic and hormonal differences contribute to sexual dimorphism in growth.
- Population variation: Differences in growth patterns may partly reflect inherited population histories.
- Genetic disorders: Conditions affecting chromosomes or growth-regulating pathways may alter normal development.
Environmental factors:
- Nutrition: Protein, energy and micronutrient adequacy strongly influence growth.
- Disease: Repeated infection can suppress growth through reduced nutrient absorption and increased metabolic demand.
- Hormonal environment: Growth hormone, thyroid hormones and sex steroids regulate developmental tempo.
- Socioeconomic conditions: Income, housing, sanitation and healthcare influence realized growth potential.
- Psychosocial stress: Chronic deprivation or stress may adversely affect development.
- Physical environment: Climate, altitude and workload may influence growth and body composition.
Thus:
Genotype + Nutrition + Disease + Social environment → Growth phenotype
Conclusion: Human growth reflects developmental plasticity, whereby genetic potential is expressed differently under different ecological and socioeconomic environments.
Want feedback on your answer?
Join the Anthropology workshop or get structured answer-writing guidance from VAID ICS.
UPSC Anthropology Optional 2019 — Paper I
28 questionsSyllabus: Paper I > 5. Religion > Anthropological approaches to the study of religion
5(d) Anthropological inputs in facial reconstruction
10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper I > 12. Applications of Anthropology > Forensic Anthropology > Reconstruction
Syllabus: Paper I > 12. Applications of Anthropology > Applied human genetics
Syllabus: Paper I > 2.2 The Nature of Society > Social stratification
Syllabus: Paper I > 11.3 Biological and socio-ecological factors influencing fecundity and fertility
Syllabus: Paper I > 9.7 Concepts and methods of Ecological Anthropology > High altitude adaptation
1(d) Cultural Materialism
10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper I > 6. Anthropological Theories > Cultural Materialism
1(b) Cultural Relativism
10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper I > 2.1 The Nature of Culture > Ethnocentrism vis-a-vis Cultural Relativism
Syllabus: Paper I > 1.5 Characteristics of Primates > Skeletal changes due to erect posture
5(e) Genetico-environmental factors affecting human growth
10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper I > 10. Human growth and development > Factors affecting growth and development
5(b) Implications of mutation in evolution
10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper I > 1.7 The biological basis of life > Mutation
Syllabus: Paper I > 3. Economic Organization > Impact of globalization on indigenous economies
Syllabus: Paper I > 9.5 Race and racism > Racial criteria and biological basis of racial classification
Syllabus: Paper I > 7. Culture, language and communication > Language and culture
Syllabus: Paper I > 1.8(b) Cultural Evolution: broad outlines of prehistoric cultures > Megalithic
Syllabus: Paper I > 1.8(b) Cultural Evolution: broad outlines of prehistoric cultures > Mesolithic
Syllabus: Paper I > 10. Human growth and development > Methodologies for growth studies
Syllabus: Paper I > 1.6 Phylogenetic status, characteristics and distribution > Neanderthal Man
5(c) Olduvai Gorge
10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper I > 1.6 Phylogenetic status, characteristics and distribution > East African hominid sites
Syllabus: Paper I > 8.3 Research Methods: Tools of data collection > Observation
1(c) Pastoralism in India
10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper I > 3. Economic Organization > Modes of subsistence > Pastoralism
Syllabus: Paper I > 8.2 Research Methods > Distinction between technique, method and methodology
Syllabus: Paper I > 2.5 Kinship > Descent theory and alliance theory
1(e) Relative Dating Methods
10 Marks150 words
Syllabus: Paper I > 1.8(a) Chronology: relative and absolute dating methods
Syllabus: Paper I > 9.3 Concept of genetic polymorphism and selection
Syllabus: Paper I > 1.8(b) Cultural Evolution: broad outlines of prehistoric cultures > Upper Palaeolithic
6(a) Examine critically the contributions of Victor Turner and Clifford Geertz in anthropology.
20 Marks
Syllabus: Paper I > 6. Anthropological Theories > Symbolic and Interpretive Anthropology