Midterm 1

Question 1

What is anthropology?

Answer 1

The study of humanity, Everything that makes us human, from our evolutionary history to our favorite tv shows, What makes us similar? What makes us different? What causes these differences and similarities?

Question 2

What are the sub-fields of anthropology?

Answer 2

Biological Anthropology, Linguistic Anthropology, Archaeology, Cultural Anthropology, Applied Anthropology

Question 3

What sorts of evidence do anthropologists collect to support their arguments?

Answer 3

Fieldwork - Firsthand observation, Data collection often takes place outside of universities in “the field”, Travel, Interviews, Excavations, Collecting genetic material, Etc.

Question 4

Explain the importance of the following concepts to anthropology:

Answer 4

• Psychic unity and plasticity – All groups of humans share the same basic emotional and intellectual capacities – we are a single species, People are people no matter where you go and when you go in time. Every human can learn and participate in any culture, learn any language, etc., I.e. cultures are not intrinsically linked to biology
• Holism – Humans can’t be fully understood by looking only at a single aspect of our complex bodies, societies (groups) and cultures, Must consider as many aspects as possible (biology, religion, economics, demographics, geography, etc.), Many anthropologists specialize but collaborate
• Comparison – To identify and understand similarities and differences, Across space, time, cultures, societies, species, How does chimpanzee culture differ from humans? How have conceptions of masculinity changed over time? How do marriage practices differ between cultures?
• Fieldwork – Firsthand observation, Data collection often takes place outside of universities in “the field”, Travel, Interviews, Excavations, Collecting genetic material, Etc.
• Cultural relativism – Suspend one’s sense of what is “normal”, Understand cultures from the perspective of that culture, Important analytical tool, Prompts reflection on own culture, Anthropologists do not argue that moral claims are impossible, Many anthropologists are strong supporters of human rights, Studying/understanding is not the same as approving or excusing

Question 5

How do anthropologists define culture?

Answer 5

Set of beliefs, practices and symbols (info)

Question 6

How is culture different from instinctual (innate) behaviors?

Answer 6

Culture is different from instinctual behaviors because culture is acquired from other members of our group (enculturation), whereas instinctual behaviors are not taught but come from an instinct ex. a baby grasps a finger if placed on its palm, we remove our hand from a hot surface.

Question 7

How and why do cultures change?

Answer 7

Influenced by internal and external factors – technical/economic change, changes in symbol/meaning. Diffusion - Spread of ideas from one group to another and may be changed to better suit the culture (ex. mcdonalds) Geography – if cultures are near each other, they are more likely to share ideas & cultures Trade – ability to send packages around the world in a matter of days/months Colonization, Amplified by modern globalization.

Question 8

What is agency?

Answer 8

Human ability to exercise control over their lives and make choices

Question 9

What is an institution? What is an institution? What are some examples?

Answer 9

Enduring practices that organize social life - Economic, legal, educational systems, etc.

Question 10

What are symbols, and why are they important to human culture?

Answer 10

Something that stands for something else, The relationship between the two often arbitrary, Basis for human communication

Question 11

What do anthropologists mean when they say that humans are biocultural organisms?

Answer 11

Human biology and culture intertwined, Biological needs – food, water, shelter, etc., Bodies and brains shaped by evolution, Most of our behaviour is learned (cultural)

Question 12

What does anthropological fieldwork generally involve?

Answer 12

Ethnographic research, Observation, Surveys, Interviews, Ethnography, Description and interpretation, Conducted according to ethical codes

Question 13

How do anthropologists formulate research questions?

Answer 13

Often start broad and then becomes narrower, Where do you need to go?, Who do you need to talk to?, How long do you intend to stay?

Question 14

How do anthropologists collect data?

Answer 14

Qualitative Data - Non-numerical observations, Audio recordings and notes, Testimonies and open-ended questions, Life histories, Relationships, Smaller in scope, more detailed.
Quantitative Data - Numerical data – larger in scope, shallower, Opinion surveys, Nutritional data, Income, Etc. In practice, most research relies on both approaches

Question 15

• What are some basic categories of anthropological data?

Answer 15

Describe behavior, context, interpretation.

Question 16

• How do anthropologists present their data?

Answer 16

Polyvocality: text in which more than one person’s voice is present, thick description

Question 17

How should anthropological skills and knowledge be used?

Answer 17

Responsibility to make findings available, Keeping in mind that what is written may impact studied population, Academic journals, Public lectures, workshops, Social media

Question 18

What ethical responsibilities do anthropologists share?

Answer 18

Do no harm, Be open and honest, Obtain informed consent, Protect study subjects, Make your results accessible

Question 19

What is language and what are some features of language that appear to be universal?

Answer 19

-Arbitrary systems of sounds, gestures, characters assigned meaning, a key example of a biocultural phenomenon, stores cultural information and allows us to reproduce culture, might subtly structure the way we think and perceive
-All human groups have fully developed languages capable of expressing the same things, languages constantly changing, have basic grammatical categories, nouns, verbs, adjectives, basic rules for word order (syntax)

Question 20

What makes human language distinctive?

Answer 20

-Openness - Ability to express the same thing in different ways
-Arbitrariness -No intrinsic link between sound and meaning, same sounds can have different meanings in different languages, reason that different languages can exist
-Displacement - Discuss non-existent things, future/past events

Question 21

What are the basic units of language?

Answer 21

-Phonemes: minimal units of sound - No language uses all possible phonemes, glottal stop, rolled “r”s, click languages
-Morphemes: minimal units of meaning - Can be words, or parts of words (e.g., anti-, pro-, -ing)

Question 22

How is culture expressed through language?

Answer 22

Stores cultural information and allows us to reproduce culture, might subtly structure the way we think and perceive.

Question 23

How might language structure the way we think?

Answer 23

Language may allow us to figure out what another person’s language and/or body language mean and what message they are trying to send. Different languages also have different tones in which they are spoken so one language to another person may seem like they are angry or fighting and to another person they may seem happy, eager, or passionate about what their discussing. It may also make us perceive what jobs are done by what gender for example policeman, postman.

Question 24

What is a speech community? How does it differ from a language?

Answer 24

-A group of people that interact through speech, united by speech norms – appropriate topics, grammatical forms, vocabulary, etc.
-Different speech communities may share a language but have difficulty communicating -“Hey, how have you been?” “Your resume says that you do a lot of volunteering…”

Question 25

What is the standard form of a language?

Answer 25

-Most common, codified form of speech
-Often more prestigious, formal

Question 26

How does it typically differ from non-standard forms?

Answer 26

-Non-standard forms still rules-governed and capable of expressing the same things
-Non-standard forms likely to be stigmatized

Question 27

How is language influenced by social categories like gender and class?

Answer 27

-Language is modified by gender and conforms to cultural beliefs about gender
-Types of vocabulary permitted – ex. profanity, emotional language
-Range of pitch that is acceptable – emotionality vs restraint
-Degree of participation in group conversations and frequency of interruption
Geographical, occupational, educational separations lead to the formation of distinct speech communities, upper-class affiliation usually marked by use of the standard language, lower-class speech often non-standard and stigmatized

Question 28

Why are some uses of language valued while others are not?

Answer 28

Speech exists in a world of power differences, speech forms valued differently, low-status speakers required to accommodate high-status speakers, attacks on language may be used to attack speakers