Unit 1 Flashcards
What is the most notable characteristic of anthropology compared to other disciplines that study humans?
Anthropology is holistic and comparative, studying humans across time and space
What is the most crucial aspect of cultural traditions?
Cultural traditions are passed down through learning rather than biological inheritance.
How has human reliance on cultural means of adaptation changed over time?
Humans have become increasingly more dependent on cultural means of adaptation.
How does anthropology’s combined focus on culture and biology contribute to its understanding of humans?
It allows anthropologists to understand how culture influences biological traits and vice versa.
What is the purpose of describing how humans adapt to low oxygen pressure at high altitudes?
To demonstrate the human capacity for cultural and biological adaptation, variation, and change.
What historical factor significantly influenced the development of four-field anthropology?
The interest of early American anthropologists in Native Americans.
Which subdiscipline of anthropology focuses on the study of nonhuman primates?
Biological anthropology
Which of the following statements is NOT true about applied anthropology?
It is less relevant for archaeology because archaeology typically deals with the material culture of extinct societies. This statement is false.
What term describes a suggested but unverified explanation for observed phenomena?
Hypothesis
How is the scientific method utilized in anthropology?
It guides any anthropological research that formulates research questions and uses systematic data to test hypotheses.
What are the two key perspectives emphasized in anthropology?
Holistic and cross-cultural perspectives.
What term describes an approach that incorporates both biological and cultural perspectives to address an issue or problem?
Biocultural approach
What type of anthropological work provides a detailed account of fieldwork in a specific community, society, or culture?
Ethnography
What branch of anthropology involves applying knowledge and techniques from the four subfields to solve practical problems?
Applied anthropology
What method is used to structure anthropological research and involves formulating research questions and testing hypotheses with systematic data?
The scientific method
How is culture learned?
Culture is learned through enculturation, a process that involves both conscious and unconscious learning.
What is the “psychic unity” of humans?
The doctrine that, despite individual differences, all human populations possess the same capacity for culture.
According to Leslie White, what marked the origin of culture and humanity?
The use of symbols
Define “symbol” in the context of anthropology.
A symbol is something verbal or nonverbal that represents something else within a specific language or culture. It doesn’t need a natural or obvious connection to what it symbolizes.
What is a key characteristic of culture in relation to individuals?
Culture is shared by individuals as members of groups.
How does culture shape our biological urges and needs?
Culture guides how we express our natural biological urges by teaching us what, when, and how.
Describe the anthropological perspective on “culture” in contrast to common understandings.
Anthropology sees all people as “cultured”, encompassing everyday aspects of life, including “popular” culture, rather than just refinement and high art.
What is the key characteristic of an integrated culture?
In an integrated culture, changes in one part of the system lead to changes in other parts.
Explain the concept of “culture is contested.”
It means that different groups in a society compete to determine which ideas, values, and beliefs will dominate.
What are the three levels of culture?
National, international, and subcultural
Define ethnocentrism.
It is the tendency to consider one’s own culture as superior and to judge others based on one’s own cultural standards.
Explain the concept of cultural relativism.
Cultural relativism suggests that to understand another culture, one must comprehend the beliefs and motivations of its members within their own cultural context.
What are the three mechanisms of cultural change discussed in the sources?
Diffusion (borrowing), acculturation (exchange through continuous contact), and independent invention (finding solutions to problems)
What is globalization?
Globalization is the increasing interconnectedness and interdependence of nations and people due to various factors like trade, communication, and migration.
What are the differences between hominids and hominins?
Hominids include all fossil and living humans, chimps, and gorillas. Hominins only include fossil and living humans, excluding chimps and gorillas.
