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What do we do with all this information? A review of Lynn et al., Engaging Undergraduates through Neuroanthropological Research

2/9/2016

16 Comments

 

by Olivia Davis

​The practical application of ideas can be difficult when attempting to combine two or more already existing scientific or theoretical perspectives. The relatively new interdisciplinary field, Neuroanthropology, falls into this category of “okay, but what do with all of this information?” Christopher D. Lynn et al. discuss in their article, “Engaging Undergraduates through Neuroanthropological Research,” the University of Alabama’s application of neuroanthropological methods in research and has begun to use a neuroanthropological perspective in some studies that might have otherwise remained divided between fields (2014). The Human Behavioral Ecology Research Group (HBERG) is a group of undergraduate and graduate students at UA who are involved in multiple research projects, each in a different stage of completion, that take place over a year’s span to give them an idea of what life in the academic research community is like and prepare them for research in grander academia. This research initiative provides a platform where neuroanthropological approaches to research can be utilized at the undergraduate and graduate levels as well as contribute to the growing literature of the field.
 
Due to its origin in the Anthropology department at the University, HBERG’s research begins with an ethnographic approach and then moves into a more neurological research focus. Personally, I believe that this could be a beneficial sequence of events when it comes to incorporating anthropology and neurology into a research method because it evokes a relationship with the very people that could be hooked up to machines in the lab later on in the study. The type of understanding and trust that accompanies an ethnographer and a research participant in the field could potentially reduce the issue of a power dynamic when moved to a laboratory setting. There are, however, some less expensive and less invasive methods can be carried into the field but they come at somewhat of a cost in accuracy. As addressed in the article, these on-the-go neuroanthropological methods “compromise some precision” in terms of results. However, the trade-off may be worth the slight decrease in precision because these less complex methods allow for a more accessible neuroscience in the ethnographic field and provide an easily digestible pedagogy for both professors and future students who are interested in Neuroanthropology.
 
One thing that I found particularly compelling about the methodology utilized by HBERG members at the University of Alabama is their creation and use of a workbook to standardize each research project. Having an organized research process is vital to the importance of the information gathered and also to its presentation to the scientific community, which is dependent upon one’s ability to decipher the fieldwork. The workbook acts as a syllabus, providing a list of goals that need to be accomplished within a certain timeframe and provides instruction and references for the researcher as they come across new things in the field. These workbooks also provide a dynamic outline of what the research should look like without restraining the researcher’s own data collection process and acts as an “active document” that can be referred back to for any reason in the research process (2014). This sort of organization and preparedness is exactly what neuroanthropological methodology needs in order to properly and accurately begin in terms of research and data collection.
 
Works Cited:
 
Lynn, C. D., Stein, M. J., & Bishop, A. P. (2014). Engaging Undergraduates through Neuroanthropological Research. Anthropology Now, 6(1), 92-103.
16 Comments
Jessica Muzzo
2/9/2016 12:32:58 pm

I was delighted to have read Dr. Lynn's article as i am a member of HBERG and had not thought so in-depth about what we are actually doing. I have learned so much about the research process and, contrary to what I had imagined, it is quite the messy process. It is made all the more messy by the fact that it is students performing their own research, following their own methods. Dr. Lynn has a somewhat sink-or-swim mentality when teaching his students the aspects of research because--let's face it--there's no one right way to do anything, and researching the methods of research is just as valid a purpose for HBERG as researching neuroanthropological concepts. It is a delightful opportunity to connect with peers, to be involved in various projects at once, and to understand the organization process (or lack there of) of a tidy project. I greatly suggest anyone who is interested to contact Dr. Lynn immediately, as he is always accepting new applicants. (He is also willing to write recommendation letters for students he believes in.)

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Jessica Muzzo
3/1/2016 04:19:21 pm

So, thinking about what we do in HBERG, I feel it would benefit readers who are unfamiliar with the group to know exactly what we are doing. My particular project (which we have titled the Behavioral Religious Ecology Study of Tuscaloosa--BREST) involves studying biological components of social behavior. This study, obviously, requires an interdisciplinary wingspan.

Tanya Luhrmann and colleagues discovered that those who are "good at religion" so to speak also show a proclivity for absorption--that is, being absorbed in one's own thoughts. This proclivity for absorption is directly connected to focused attention. We are testing to see how COMT (a gene affecting the dopaminergic pathway) relates to this process of absorption, and how that in turn affects success within a church group.

This project is exciting because we are practicing ethnographic fieldwork as well as laboratory testing. We have been participant observers at the field site for a few weeks now as we have developed and piloted our survey. Soon, we will be able to elicit validated answers from individuals with a structured interview. The structured interview will give us the social network of each individual, which we will use to compare interactions within the group. This is how we measure "success" within First Wesleyan Methodist Church. We will then take buccal swabs (mouth swabs) from each participant and send them to a lab to be analyzed for COMT.

I am excited about this project for two reasons: It's super interesting, and I am familiarizing myself with both anthropological concepts and biological concepts. The process is amazing fluid. Human behavior seems to just make a whole lot of sense when you collide the paradigms functioning within each discipline.

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Kelly Likos
2/9/2016 02:38:11 pm

I have to agree with Jessica on this one! I am also a memeber of HBERG and was required to read this article when I began my work in the group. While Jessica is right in stating the literature is quite different from the practice, I believe a certain kind of joy follows it (at least for me).

Participants learn so much about research methods, and the equally important personal skills needed to conduct anthropological research. Neuroanthropology research is unique because of the ways in which it mixes human interaction with the scientific world. Anthropologists need to act as a bridge between the two differing fields so that they can better present the issue to those they would like to research. I believe that the work I have done and will continue to do with HBERG will allow me to harness these skills effectively.

The "sink or swim" mentality of HBERG is no joke, but this is where so much of the learning takes place. The "sink or swim" mentality in HBERG gives students a sturdy environment to try their own hands at research by constructing new paths for themselves. Peer and mentor relationships are so important to HBERG, not only for the support, but also because of the knowledge that can be shared between those involved.

While such a group might not mesh well with everyone's work style, my experience in the group has been a highly positive one and I look forwards to my future within the group.

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Kelly Likos
3/1/2016 08:09:53 pm

Since we discussed this article in class, it has crossed my mind numerous times during my work with HBERG. Working within this research group really does provide an educational practice of the neurosciences. It seems to me that we, as members of the group, are constantly tinkering with our work inside and outside of the lab. Working through this process at allows us the benefit of active learning. We are constantly editing our work so that it seems like it will never be completed. If this is a taste of what a career in academia is like, then I hope HBERG will prepare me accordingly.

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Nick Roy
2/10/2016 06:21:26 am

Like the two previous comments, I am also a researcher in HBERG and I agree with the assessments posted by those above. While I have not had much experience in the Religious Ecology Study of Tuscaloosa, HBERG has given me the chance to pursue my own research project that seeks to incorporate ethnological data supplied by the Human Area Relations File with a study of sexual fluidity and evolution.

As with many research labs, HBERG's practice is much more messy than its stated principles. However, HBERG does definitely provide a space for interdisciplinary collaboration on a wide range of projects, and it is true that many of these projects could be considered neuroanthropological (Fireside and REST to name two). It certainly has been, without hyperbole, the most meaningful learning experience I have had in my four years here at UA.

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Nick Roy (2nd)
2/29/2016 12:19:41 pm

Speaking more directly on how the HBERG model can assist research in neuroanthropology, I can say that providing an interdisciplinary space where people from across the campus can meet and work on projects would greatly assist neuroanthropology (and any interdisciplinary field).

On campus, we often find ourselves locked away in academic departments as if they were each a nation unto themselves. This condition has often been called the "academic archipelago." HBERG seeks to build bridges across campus and synthesize the various perspectives of its researchers into holistic projects. As of this semester, HBERG has among its numbers of anthropology majors: biology, psychology, and math majors as well. Such a wide base of knowledge is needed when it is impossible to specialize in every field. Neuroanthropology could benefit from this model by drawing on multiple people's perspectives so that no one researcher needs to be an expert in all fields their study covers.

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Catherine Lindsay Manson
2/10/2016 08:52:08 am

As an Anthropology minor at the University of Alabama, I found this article by Dr. Lynn, Stein, and Bishop to be very interesting and informative, as I did not have an in-depth comprehension of what the HBERG student researchers are completing. The article also appears to successfully demonstrate the usefulness of this program in the Anthropology Department and how it is helping the credibility of Neuroanthropology as a sub-field. With a particularly new sub-field, HBERG is demonstrating that it can become an incredibly useful field by using its various interdisciplinary fields to create a more whole, or well-rounded, data collection in ethnographic research. I agree with Ms. Davis and concur that the articles explanation of the Workbook used by HBERG sounds incredibly useful to construct a way of teaching sound and accurate research; with relatively low costs and involvement of advisors. This workbook also sets up a timetable for the undergraduate researchers without constricting them in when or how they do the research.
Ultimately, I think this article was exceptionally interesting and would like to read further on what the HBERG is researching and/or what the results of the study spoken about were. This article influenced me more than the previous articles to look into what the University is doing with neuroanthropology.

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Catherine Lindsay Manson
3/1/2016 06:41:50 pm

After we discussed Dr. Lynn's article about the HBERG program on the University of Alabama's campus and how it emphasizes the use of multiple disciplines to conduct anthropological research. This program sounds like it has been a terrific experience for students in many disciplines. Mainly that it gives an in-depth, hands on experience in conducting experiments. I also think that the experiments being performed by the HBERG group could help to expand the sub-field of Neuroanthropology.

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Amanda Oldani
2/10/2016 09:11:02 am

I find this article to be very interesting, and I am excited to read more about what current HBERG students have to say about the program. I found the article accessible and realistic. It addressed some limitations that are present in this growing field, but I think it takes a complex issue and gives a helpful and flexible solution with the workbook. I also find Olivia’s point about starting with ethnographic research first to build a relationship with subjects to be very important; I think this is a helpful idea that can easily be overlooked when trying to recruit participants. This process seems to give students a rigorous but realistic look into what research entails and future projects at the graduate level—something some schools or programs are nowhere near giving their students.

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Amada Oldani (2nd)
3/1/2016 08:38:36 pm

After learning more about how diverse HBERG is, I feel like I have a better understanding and appreciation for how diverse a research question or program can be. After reading some of the case studies in The Encultured Brain, I see that there are many directions that a researcher can go in. By creating an interdisciplinary team, a researcher can enhance the research process with new ideas, methods, perspectives, and expertise.

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McCallie L. Smith III (Trip)
2/10/2016 09:18:09 am

This article by Dr. Lynn et al. was a fantastic article in the essence that it was very clear, direct, understandable, and very informative. It was very informative on the subjects of interdisciplinary studies (involving nuroanthropology), and well as, undergraduate research and its importance to the individual.

It is a magnificent thing when there are research opportunities available for undergraduate. This is because rarely do undergraduates have the opportunities to do so (I do realize there are exceptions). So to have a group like HBERG available to undergraduates is just a very valuable resource. It is so valuable because it give the undergraduate the ability to lear what it is like to conduct research, use different methods, and to learn, grow, and shape their own academic intellect. And the fact that interdisciplinary work is encouraged is even better as it allows for a more dynamic relationship among specific disciplines and allowed for the student to develop their own research interests even across multiple fields.

I think it is a good, and vital use of time for the undergrad student to be as involved in research opportunities whatever they may be if they are looking to continue their academic career, and to be able to have done so across multiple disiplines can be even more useful to their future academic success.

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McCallie Smith III (Trip)
3/2/2016 07:35:53 am

When reviewing my reflection I still agree with my original view. Also, I recognize and believe it is important to have interdisciplinary studies when developing and conducting research. It is important because it can introduce new perspectives, methodologies, application and so on. It can not be stressed enough that to have these types of research groups at the undergraduate level is extremely beneficial to the student in many ways. Also, it is beneficial to the institution that the group belongs to.

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Michelle Bird
2/10/2016 09:26:02 am

I found this article incredibly interesting. I stumbled across anthropology as a Junior here, and it seems that I missed an incredible opportunity for involvement in anthropological research. I eventually added a minor in anthropology and participated in the Fireside experiment as part of a requirement for extra credit in ANT 270. At that point, I really had no idea what the methodological nature of research in anthropology was (at least outside of archaeology), or what sort of questions were being asked to begin with, but that experience as a participant encouraged me to explore more of my own questions about humanity, and provided me with new tools by which to gather information.

While my experience definitely cultivated an interest in anthropological research, I wasn’t aware at that time of the variety of research techniques anthropologists employ, and how organized their processes for acquiring valuable, accurate information from personal accounts are. Being familiar with research in a biology lab, the process of the fireside study wasn’t surprising. I wasn’t aware that the students also had to conduct ethnographic research through interview, and I can imagine that being familiar with a situation in which the researcher is ultimately responsible for ensuring the quality of the results, a student would benefit greatly from the process Dr. Lynn has outlined for them. A checklist can be a very powerful motivator. Dr. Lynn seems to have developed an effective, reliable method for preparing undergraduates for pursuing a research-oriented career in anthropology. Involvement in this lab is clearly a valuable resource for any student hoping to obtain an early, solid knowledge of research protocol.

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Michelle Bird 2nd Post
3/2/2016 09:28:10 am

This week’s topic was much more straight-forward than the others have been, since its focus is on methodology and research tools. Prior to the class discussion, what I knew of anthropological research stemmed from the limited experience I’d had in the HBERG lab, and I had general knowledge of the research methods employed by physical anthropologists and archaeologists, but I had not given much thought to ethnographic research or its importance in filling in some of the “human blanks” that numbers just can’t seem to satisfy, like determining why a specific event occurred or how a group of people adopted a certain practice, and its significance. Cortisol seems to be a rather handy way to measure stress levels in humans, which can provide some insight into human physiology and psychology, but its role is so important in regulating a circadian rhythm that sometimes levels increase for other, normal reasons, and these times must be taken into account. Studying “brains in the wild” has proven to be a monumental challenge, but with the implementation of portable, minimally invasive research techniques, perhaps the information gathered will prove accurate enough to begin actually resolving some of the issues running rampant in our world today.

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Molly Jaworski
2/10/2016 09:31:01 am

In most fields of study, new data or information poses two important questions. What do we do with it? And Why is it important? In this article Christopher D. Lynn et al. address the ‘what’ when it comes to the utilization of new information. The HBERG program at UA is a program that utilizes ethnography and a neurological approach that allows students (graduate and undergraduate) to do real research work while employing their own research methods. There is no right or wrong way to do research and as such, the process can be confusing and ‘messy’ as Jessica had stated. One way HBERG combats this messy issue is through the use of a workbook. I like Olivia’s comparison of the workbook with a syllabus that outlines the research without hindering data collection. I also agree with Olivia that this type of organization is needed when utilizing Neuroanthropological methodologies because of the relatively newness of the field of Neuroanthropology.

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Molly Jaworski
3/2/2016 07:54:08 am

After rereading the article I still stand by my original reaction. In research it is important to keep an open mind and incorporate other interdisciplinary fields to not only help support one's research but also challenge it as well. HBERG provides students with the chance to have their research challenged and supported by a multitude of other fields of study.

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    This blog is group authored by Dr. DeCaro and the students in his ANT 474/574: Neuroanthropology.

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