Anthropology Termonology

Question 1

Anthropology

Answer 1

the comparative study of cultural and social life

Question 1

Global perspective

Answer 1

Anthropologists tackle big questions by studying a wide variety of cultures and societies around the globe.

Question 2

Holism

Answer 2

The study of humans and their societies across time and the entire globe.

Question 3

Comparative method

Answer 3

When you compare multiple societies and their aspects by how they are similar and different - used in ethnology

Question 4

Four Fields of Anthropology

Answer 4

Archaeology
Biological/ Physical anthropology
Linguistic anthropology
Social and cultural anthropology

Question 5

Archaeology

Answer 5

The study of culture based off of remains from past cultures (ex. fossils, old tools)

Question 6

Biological Anthropology

Answer 6

The study of biological variation of humans throughout time (ex. the discussion of race not being biological and humans actually having very few biological differences)

Question 7

Linguistic anthropology

Answer 7

The study of language in different cultures and what impact it has

Question 8

Social and cultural anthropology

Answer 8

The study of humans by looking at their diverse societies and cultures - uses the comparative method

Question 9

Ethnography

Answer 9

A personal account of a society or culture (fieldwork)

Question 10

Ethnology

Answer 10

The comparison of data between two or more societies and creating an analysis based off of these comparisons (what is done after fieldwork)

Question 11

Universals

Answer 11

Something that exists in every culture

Question 12

Generalities

Answer 12

Patterns or traits that exist in some but not all societies

Question 13

Particulars

Answer 13

Distinct trait that is only present in one society

Question 14

Theory: unilinial cultural evolution

Answer 14

A 19th century theory that believes that all societies follow a linear path toward being “civilized” (civilized by western standards) and are all therefore in an upward path toward “betterment”

Question 15

Ethnocentrism

Answer 15

Eurocentric, believing that the western world is superior to other cultures and societies and are the standard that all societies should follow - to view your culture as the best

Question 16

Cultural relativism

Answer 16

The respect and understanding of other cultures differences rather than casting them aside because they do not fit into your view of what is “right”

Question 17

Field work

Answer 17

Bronislaw Malinowski revolutionized the idea of field work, taking it from etic analysis to emic, encouraging anthropologists to live among the cultures they studied to understand them better

Question 18

Participant Observation

Answer 18

Taking data and learning about a culture/ society from the inside, becoming intergrated into the community

Question 19

Etic

Answer 19

Analyzing a culture as an outsider - non participant

Question 20

Emic

Answer 20

Analyzing culture as someone who becomes a part of that culture - participant

Question 21

Culture

Answer 21

A system that society holds to based off of symbols, ideas, beliefs and material items that compose their daily lives and ways of thinking

Question 22

Culture is shared

Answer 22

Humans share their culture in many ways- it is a product of daily life and many cultures can have sub cultures

Question 23

Culture is learned

Answer 23

Culture is learned through many ways, such as teaching language, symbols, actions and also implicit culture which is developed as a person develops their cultural lens and understanding

Question 24

Culture is symbolic

Answer 24

Cultures use many different symbols! (ex. $)

Question 25

Culture is intergrated

Answer 25

All aspects of culture are connected to each other - for example crime rates directly relate to levels of poverty and other aspects.

Question 26

Culture is dynamic

Answer 26

Culture constantly changes whether it is internally (Innovation, domestic conflict) or externally (spread of culture to other cultures, assimilation, etc)

Question 27

Enculturation

Answer 27

Culture is learned not only by experience but also through language and symbols

Question 28

Explicit culture

Answer 28

Culture that can be taught, for example we are taught to be on time

Question 29

Implicit culture

Answer 29

Actions that stem from a cultural lens that do not need to be taught - ex. handshake

Question 30

Symbol

Answer 30

$ % & @ - symbols!! They may be exclusive to one culture and hold specific meanings within a culture

Question 31

Levels of culture

Answer 31

Sub-cultures / counter cultures

Question 32

Innovation

Answer 32

A new version of a already made cultural device or element

Question 33

Conflict

Answer 33

Divided parts of a culture lead to change

Question 34

Diffusion

Answer 34

Spread of parts of one culture to another (ex. mcdonalds)

Question 35

Forced Acculturation

Answer 35

Colonialism- forced adoption of culture

Question 36

Assimilation

Answer 36

Taking elements from another culture into yours

Question 37

Cultural behaviors

Answer 37

Behaviors that are acceptable/crafted within a culture

Question 38

Cultural artifacts

Answer 38

Behaviors, languages and artifacts - proof of a cultures existence

Question 39

Sub-cultures

Answer 39

Cultures within a culture (ex. in american culture we have many different groups of ethnic americans)

Question 40

Cultural knowledge

Answer 40

information, skills, attitudes, beliefs and the mental parts of a culture that people learn while learning of a culture

Question 41

Human Biological Diversity

Answer 41

Humans are not very biologically diverse, and have much more similarities than they do differences - race is largely social

Question 42

Race

Answer 42

Largely social - catergories based off of perceived physical differences