The author has updated material relevant to the field and provided fresh treatments of traditional material. Key features include the following:

• All areas of contemporary biological anthropology are covered. In addition to traditional coverage of areas such as genetics, evolutionary theory, primate behavior, and the fossil record, the text includes material often neglected in introductory texts, including genetics and population history, human growth, epidemiology, and demography.
• The relationship between biology and culture is a major focus. The biocultural framework is introduced in the first chapter and integrated throughout the text.
• Behavior is discussed in an evolutionary context. The evolutionary nature of primate and human behavior is emphasized in a number of chapters, including those on primate biology and behavior (Chapters 5–7) and the fossil record of human evolution (Chapters 10–12).
• Emphasis is on the human species in its context within the primate order. Discussions of mammals and nonhuman primates continually refer to their potential relevance for understanding the human species. In fact, Chapter 7 is devoted entirely to treating our species from a comparative perspective.
• Hypothesis testing is emphasized. From the first chapter, where students are introduced to the scientific method, I emphasize how various hypotheses are tested. Rather than provide a dogmatic approach with all the "right" answers, the text examines evidence in the context of hypothesis testing. With this emphasis, readers can see how new data can lead to changes in basic models and can better understand the "big picture" of biological anthropology.