Intro to Anthropology

Question 1

anthropology

Answer 1

knowledge about humans; how different people can be but also how they are similar

Question 2

four main fields of anthropology

Answer 2

linguistic, biological/physical, archaeology, social/cultural anthro

Question 3

what makes anthropology unique

Answer 3

global approach, holistic approach, comparative approach, fieldwork methodology

Question 4

global approach

Answer 4

interested in all people all throughout the world

Question 5

holistic approach

Answer 5

looks at how various elements in a society work together; all people, all places, all times

Question 6

comparative approach

Answer 6

what makes groups similar/different

Question 7

fieldwork methodology

Answer 7

requires anthropologists to become an insider of a different culture

Question 8

what is social anthropology?

Answer 8

focuses on humans in societies, strong focus on culture and aspects of humanity that are acquired rather than natural

Question 9

Eriksen definition of culture

Answer 9

those abilities, notion, and forms of behavior persons have acquired as members of society

Question 10

E.B. Tylor’s definition of culture

Answer 10

the complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society

Question 11

enculturation

Answer 11

process through which culture is passed from one generation to the next, begins in infancy

Question 12

characteristics of culture

Answer 12

learned, shared, symbolic, integrated, dynamic

Question 13

culture

Answer 13

acquired, cognitive and symbolic aspects of existence

Question 14

society

Answer 14

the social organization of human life, patterns of interaction, and power relationships; culture in action

Question 15

human agency

Answer 15

ability for individuals to chose to not follow norms

Question 16

participant observation

Answer 16

working/talking with people, befriend people, participate as much as possible in the culture

Question 17

universality vs relativism

Answer 17

human society as a whole vs differences between cultures

Question 18

ethnocentrism

Answer 18

evaluating other people from one’s own vantage point and describing them in one’s own terms; uses one’s own cultural values to pass judgment on another group

Question 19

culture relativism

Answer 19

each culture and its practices must be understood within a context, one culture is no better than another, can’t rank different groups

Question 20

critical cultural relativism

Answer 20

when is it your moral duty to intervene?