Topic 1 Culture

Question 1

Why is anthro unique?

Answer 1

It is comparative. You have to compare societies to get a good perspective.

Question 2

What are the four sub-disciplines in Anthropology?

Answer 2

Physical, cultural, archaeology and human paleontology.

Question 3

What is physical anthro?

Answer 3

It deals with the biological diversity among modern humans. Understanding the interrelated effects of heredity, environment and culture on human biology. Data is always from live humans.

Question 4

What is human paleontology?

Answer 4

It deals with the biological diversity of the past. Understanding human and primate evolution. Data is from fossilized remains.

Question 5

What is archaeology?

Answer 5

Deals with the cultural diversity and change of the past. Understanding cultures that have disappeared. They have to dig for their answers because these cultures didn’t leave anything behind for people like historians.

Question 6

What is cultural anthro?

Answer 6

Deals with the study of every cultural aspect of modern populations.

Question 7

What is applied anthro?

Answer 7

Using anthropological knowledge to help solve cultural problems.

Question 8

Explain L.H. Morgan’s Evolutionary Perspective.

Answer 8

All human societies passed through a linear evolution through the same three stages: savagery, barbarism and civilization. Supposes that some societies have not yet finished this evolution and are still stuck in savagery for example.

Question 9

In L.H. Morgan’s Evolutionary Perspective, complexity does not equal economic progress. True or false?

Answer 9

True.

Question 10

A culture has to be shared by a lot of people and transmitted to the next generation to stay alive. True or false?

Answer 10

True.

Question 11

What are the five elements in the foundation of human cultures?

Answer 11

Transmission, memory, reiteration, innovation and selection.

Question 12

What is transmission?

Answer 12

Ability to copy behaviors.

Question 13

What is memory?

Answer 13

Ability to remember behaviors.

Question 14

What is reiteration?

Answer 14

The ability to repeat behaviors.

Question 15

What is innovation?

Answer 15

The ability to invent new behaviors.

Question 16

What is selection?

Answer 16

The ability to chose those behaviors.

Question 17

What is culture NOT?

Answer 17

Monolithic (aren’t sealed off from one another,) homogenous and static (they change all the time.)

Question 18

Culture is based on symbols like the catholic cross and the ohm sign. True or false?

Answer 18

True

Question 19

Culture is not learned. True or false?

Answer 19

False. Culture is learned. It is obtained through life.

Question 20

What is enculturation?

Answer 20

The process in which you learn your own culture.

Question 21

What is acculturation?

Answer 21

Foreign elements are integrated into your culture.

Question 22

Why is there so much cultural integration around the world?

Answer 22

The environment. Cultures adapted when the humans had to.

Question 23

What is truth?

Answer 23

Truth exists in the essence of things. You discover it then you can teach it. It is a social construction. You build it within your culture.

Question 24

What is ethnocentrism?

Answer 24

Growing up thinking that our culture is the only proper way of life thus judging other cultures with the standards of one’s own. This is normal. You develop filters for which you see the world through.

Question 25

What is cultural relativism?

Answer 25

Each culture should not be judged with the standards of other cultures (no culture is better.)

Question 26

What are the basics of Examination of Culture?

Answer 26

Created by Hofstede, it includes a high and low power distance in societies.

Question 27

What is a high power distance in a society?

Answer 27

Inequality between the leaders and is well accepted. Social classes are not fluid. Symbols of power are normal. Strict rule of behavior.

Question 28

What is a low power distance in society?

Answer 28

More egalitarian society. Social classes are less important. Less distance between the rich and the poor. People aren’t so preoccupied with behaving according to their social status.

Question 29

What is individualism?

Answer 29

People are more concerned with themselves than their immediate families. Defined through attitudes, abilities, personality, values, and personal opinions. Important values are liberty, autonomy and privacy.

Question 30

What is collectivism?

Answer 30

People are very concerned with other people and care for traditions. Defined through social relations, group to which they belong and their position in the group. Important values are cohesion, honor and loyalty.

Question 31

What do field researchers have to do?

Answer 31

They must live with the groups they wish to study. They must observe the flow of social life.

Question 32

What are some research techniques?

Answer 32

Observation, interviews, collection of documents and artifacts, photographing, sketching and recording and shooting videos.

Question 33

In the field, researchers use observation as their main strategy. Explain non-participant observation.

Answer 33

Observation only, indirect method with no interaction and people do not know they are being studied.

Question 34

Explain participant-observation that field researchers use.

Answer 34

The researcher gets involved in people’s activities and participating in their daily life.

Question 35

What would be a complementary strategy?

Answer 35

Having multiple informants and cross checking information.

Question 36

What are some potential problems of field research?

Answer 36

Gaining confidence of people can be difficult, culture shock, loss of control, expensive, time consuming.

Question 37

What is anthropology?

Answer 37

The study of human beings. Everything in relation to humans. The only global social science. It also includes the biology of humans.