Morphological variation in the human scapula related to age & sex
Abstract
This study will observe quantitative morphological changes in the human scapula
regarding advancing age and sex. 21 standardized measurements were taken of 266 scapulae at
the W.M. Bass Collection in at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. All measurements were
expected to vary between males and females, between age groupings: 4 measurements of the
body were taken in order to determine general size differences in the scapula, 5 border
measurements in order elucidate possible differences in shape, 8 measurements were recoded to
identify curvature changes in the scapula, and 2 measurements were taken of the glenoid fossa.
Many of these measurements were identified previously as having both sexually distinctive
characteristics and some also identified as showing differences with advancing age. While there
have been previous studies outlining differences in the scapula regarding both sex and age
estimation, population is of great importance and supplementing these studies with another
population is of value to the scientific record. Descriptive statistics and an independent samples
t-test were utilized. Both statistical tests show significant sex differences between males and
females in all categories with exception of one curvature measurement (CILC). Between age
groups, this is much the same with one curvature measurements in the younger age group (CILB)
and three in the older age group (CILC and CIBC) showing no statistically significant change.
Overall the results suggest a larger scapula in males then females, with overall decreases in size
with advancing age and increasing border robusticity.
Description
Thesis (M.A.)--Wichita State University, Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Dept. of Anthropology