ANTHROPOLOGY

Anthropology

Anthropology

Phase 1

Question 1

A

One of the great gifts that humans have is the ability to self-regulate. For example, the body's ability to maintain a constant temperature stems from its ability to self-regulate and is called homeostasis. Unfortunately we have no simple term or way to describe homeostasis in a culture, society, country, etc. We simply call it regulation or self-regulation. Given the recent events and breakdown of regulation in the global banking, investment and mortgage markets, we are facing a brave new world and I am sure it will be a source of much debate over the next few years (Almeida, 2004).

B

Heat stress is commonly associated with warm weather. It's true that warm weather increases the number of heat-stress injuries and illnesses. Warm weather isn't the only cause of heat stress, though. Heat stress can occur any time the surrounding temperature is elevated. Even if the weather is cool, you may work in warm areas, indoors or out. Be alert for conditions which could cause heat stress and take precautions to prevent it. Six main factors are involved in causing heat stress:

temperature

humidity

movement of air

radiant temperature of the surroundings

clothing

physical activity

C

Keep in mind, though, even if you're already acclimatized, conditions can change which stress your body even more. Bright sunshine, high humidity, and sources of heat in the workplace can affect your body's ability to cool itself. If conditions change, make sure you re-acclimate yourself to the new conditions. If you're away from work for a few days or if you experience a brief period of cooler temperatures while working, you will need to re-acclimate yourself before you try to work the full shift in the hot conditions.

D

Heat Stroke is the deadliest of all heat stress conditions. It occurs when the body's cooling mechanism has shut down after extreme loss of salt and fluids. The body temperature will rise, the victim's skin is hot, red, and dry, their pulse fast, and they may complain of headache or dizziness. They will probably be weak, confused, and upset. Later stages of heat stroke cause a loss of consciousness and may lead to convulsions. In the event of heat stroke, seek immediate medical attention. Until help arrives, try to cool the victim and offer sips of cool water if the victim is conscious. Recognizing the symptoms of heat stress is very important, particularly since the victim may not realize what is happening. If you work alone in a hot environment, develop a "buddy system" so someone will check in on you periodically to look for signs of heat stress (Lachman, 1998).

E

People vary from one another in the number and severity of stressors reported over a typical week. These stressors refer to minor events that disrupt daily life, such as unpleasant social encounters or unexpected work deadlines. Environmental factors undoubtedly play a strong role, but we hypothesize that they are not sufficient to explain variation in the experience and perceptions of daily stressors. In the following study, we examined relative genetic and environmental influences accounting for individual ...