HUMAN VARIATION AND RACE

1.      High altitudes provide environmental stress such as low humidity strong winds and lower air pressure. The wind cause rapid dehydration and amplifies cold stress. While the low air pressure leads to hypoxia, which is insufficient levels of oxygen in body tissue or oxygen deficiency.

2.      Short-term adaptations to the stress of high altitudes include a breathing and heart rate increase of up double even while resting resulting in an increase of blood pressure and pulse rate as the hearts pumps harder to get more oxygen.

A facultative adaption to high altitude is the process of acclimatization when a person born at a low elevation travels to a high elevation within

one or two day’s increases in metabolic rate, respiration, heart rate, and production of red blood cells (hemoglobin) occurs. The hemoglobin in the red blood cells is responsible for transporting oxygen to organs and tissues

High altitude born natives have the developmental adaption of developmental acclimatization in which the natives grow slower and mature later than those in lower elevations as well as being more efficient at diffusing oxygen from blood to body tissues.

A cultural adaption of Tibetans and Nepalese is the solution to breathe faster to inhale more oxygen and broaden arteries and capillaries, which results in higher blood flow rate and greater amounts of oxygen delivered to the muscles while having relatively normal hemoglobin levels.

3.      The study of human variation and explorations has lead to the discovery of mutations such as the one found in Tibetans EPAS1. The study of mutations like EPAS1 can help in the creation of vaccines and medications for issues like oxygen deficiency or reproduction problems such as maternal death caused by preeclampsia.

4.      Race could be used as an example of the Tibetans and the EPSA1 being passed on within the Tibetans that allowed them to adapt to the higher altitudes while still having normal levels of hemoglobin. Environmental influences better explains adaption’s in human variations because the adoptions do not alter for certain races it stays the same throughout each one.

Language

Part1

I found this experiment a bit difficult, as it was hard to explain things without using verbal communication. At times, it felt like a game of charades. The only easy things to get across were yes, no, food, drink, and look. My partners said they felt the need to alter the conversation toward a way that I could reply with gestures. They said they tried to simplify things to make it easier to communicate. The culture that is using verbal language had the advantage of communication complex ideas but only if the other culture understands the language. If the cultures do not have the same language then the culture using non-verbal communication would have the advantage.  The speaking culture might feel as the superior culture and might see the other culture as less intelligent.  Individuals who have difficulty speaking are those who are mute or have speech impediments and are unable to speak. This may affect the people who do speak to interact with them by making them feel that the individuals are not interested in the conversation, possibly treat them as though they are dumb, and make them alter the way they communicate.

Part2

I did not make it to the 15-minute mark by only using speech. It was hard not moving my head or hands while speaking, I ended up moving my hands unintentionally. My partners said they felt as though I was not interested or bored by the conversation. They said it felt weird like talking to a computer. It shows that the use of “signs” in our language is important to help us communicate by adding personality and feeling towards the conversation. It helps better interpret the tone of the conversation. I do think there are people who have trouble interpreting body language. The adaptive benefit of interpreting body language is the ability to tell when someone is lying in a conversation and what type of emotion he or she are feeling towards the conversation. It also helps you interpret what is being said if you do not speak the same languages. An environment were reading body language would not be beneficial would be an environment where it is hard to see or an individual is blind.