Chapter 4

Question 1

What is a mode of reproduction?

Answer 1

The fertility and mortality rates of a society influenced by their culture.

Question 2

How does anthropology study reproduction?

Answer 2

In relation to production systems.

Question 3

What is an example of culture influencing reproduction?

Answer 3

Amish, Mennonites and Hutterites in north America. They all have very large families for farm work and also to reproduce their religions.

Question 4

What does the debate of prolife and prochoice revolve around?

Answer 4

The cultural understanding of unborn children.

Question 5

What are some traits of reproduction in foraging societies?

Answer 5

Small number of children, fertility control, long birth intervals, prolonged breastfeeeding, abortion and infanticide.

Question 6

What are some traits of reproduction in agricultural societies?

Answer 6

Pro-natalism, high growth rate, direct means of birth control, birth specialists (ex.midwives).

Question 7

What are some traits of reproduction in industrial societies?

Answer 7

Negative population growth, more resources go to fewer children, birth control as personal option, very specialized birthing jobs (hospitals).

Question 8

How have women’s roles shifted in society and how does that affect reproduction.

Answer 8

Women’s roles have shifted from mother to housewife to worker, less time for babies.

Question 9

What are three distinguishing features of the industrial mode of reproduction?

Answer 9

Stratified reproduction (social inequality affects people’s abilities to raise children, and keep them alive), population aging and high use of medical technology in all stages of pregnancy.

Question 10

What is an example of how culture shapes patterns in sexual activity?

Answer 10

In morocco it is very important that women are virgins until married.

Question 11

Is there a relationship of high fertility and frequency of sexual intercourse?

Answer 11

Not necessarily, for example, India has a very high rate of fertility but they have sex less frequently than many other places. India has many days that for holy reasons they don’t have sex.

Question 12

What are the three levels of fertility decision making?

Answer 12

Family level, state level and global level.

Question 13

What are some considerations for fertility at the family level?

Answer 13

Structure of the family, value of children’s labour, people to support you in old age, childhood mortality rate, cost of children, religious value.

Question 14

What are some considerations for fertility at the state level?

Answer 14

Labor requirements, tax base, public services, counteracting population aging.

Question 15

What are some considerations for fertility at the global level?

Answer 15

Religious teachings, international relations and foreign aid. For example: US has restrictions on aid to groups that support abortions)

Question 16

What is infanticide? What are some motivations for it?

Answer 16

The killing of offspring, either directly or indirectly. Because of illness, poverty, failing to meet parents’ expectations (i.e. being a girl if want boy).

Question 17

What are some examples of unique cultural understandings on children (Jamaica and Mali)

Answer 17

False belly to deal with abortions in Jamaica.
“Snake Children” in Mali.

Question 18

What is personality?

Answer 18

An individual’s patterned ways of feeling, thinking and behaving.

Question 19

How is personality gained?

Answer 19

Through an individual’s biological self interacting with culture. Largely via enculturation though.

Question 20

What factors can shape personality?

Answer 20

Position in social structure, cultural contexts of birth, postpartum bonding, parent’s personalities.

Question 21

Who talked about mother-child bond and class differences? What was their point?

Answer 21

Nancy Scheper-Hughes: Mother-child bond influenced by class differences, poverty, child mortality rate and structural inequality.

Question 22

What personality is associated with growing up in horticulture society?

Answer 22

Nurturant-responsible personality (caring, generous and independent).

Question 23

What personality is associated with growing up in an industrial society?

Answer 23

Dependent-dominant personality (dominance towards other children, dependent, can be narcisissistic)

Question 24

Why do children in different MoP societies have different personalities?

Answer 24

The variation is due to the mother’s work roles. In horticultural societies mothers work outside of the home a lot, children fill in doing maternal roles for themselves and others. In industrial societies mothers can stay home.

Question 25

What are the three components of rites of passage rituals established by Van Gennep?

Answer 25

• rites of separation
• rites of transition
• rites of reincorporation

Question 26

What is FGM/C? Where is it practiced?

Answer 26

Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting is a form of rite of passage for women in the the west to east coast of Africa, Ethiopia and Egypt. It refers to a brutal process where some or all of the vulva is cut off/sealed up.

Question 27

What does Melvin Konner say about sexual orientation?

Answer 27

Sexual orientation is determined by both genetic and cultural factors.

Question 28

What is gender pluralism and what are some examples?

Answer 28

The existence within a culture of multiple categories of femininity, masculinity and androgyny, that are seen as culturally legitimate. Ex. third gender of Hijra in India.

Question 29

What is demographic transition?

Answer 29

When the agricultural pattern of high fertility and high mortality in a society becomes the industrial pattern of low fertility and low mortality.

Question 30

What does cultural materialism say about adolescence?

Answer 30

A long period of adolescence is preparation for culturally valued adults.