Cultural and Physical Anthropology

Question 1

What is the difference between ethnology and ethnography?

Answer 1

Ethnology is the study of the origins and cultures of different people and races. Ethnography is the written account of a culture

Question 2

In anthropology, what are the main ideas of the postmodernism school of thought?

Answer 2

• It is impossible to have any “true” knowledge about the world’s cultures
• The inability to be objective when researching
• The world is socially constructed
• be subjective and reflexive

Question 3

What is a famous, well-known Australopithecus afarensis? What are two characteristics of it?

Answer 3

Lucy! It had a 12-inch femur (leg bone) and wear on some of the teeth.

Question 4

We have the ability to walk on two feet. What is this known as?

Answer 4

Bipedalism

Question 5

What is the second stage in a rite of passage? What occurs during this stage?

Answer 5

The TRANSITION stage. During transition, the person is learning to their “new” self and learning their role.

Question 6

What is a cultural complex? Provide an example for yourself. How does it relate to cultural traits and cultural patterns?

Answer 6

A series or cluster of traits that come or work together at the same time to create a cultural situation. An example could be our HSP class. Computers, phones, lessons and students, along with many other traits all make up our classroom…our complex. Our classroom within the school make up our education system. This is the cultural pattern.

Question 7

True or false: Our culture is always static.

Answer 7

FALSE. Our culture does NOT stay the same. It is dynamic and is constantly changing.

Question 8

Why is language, and the study of language so important for Anthropologists when discovering a culture?

Answer 8

Because it explains and shows how important communication is within a society and culture. Linguistic Anthropologists study languages and how it expresses culture.

Question 9

An “upright man”.

Answer 9

Homo erectus

Question 10

What is this? To be said to be “let go” instead of being “fired”.

Answer 10

A euphemism.

Question 11

What is a serial monogamist?

Answer 11

A person who is married to one partner at a time, but will continually get married if divorce occurs.

Question 12

One wife and many husbands.

Answer 12

Polyandry

Question 13

How has the internet and social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram changed culture? Think to yourself why this may be.

Answer 13

Some say they have isolated us as a culture. Others say it has made us increasingly social, but in a different way.

Question 14

How do Anthropologists look at “sex”? Why is gender said to be a social construct?

Answer 14

Anthropologist looks at “sex” as a biological function. Gender is said to be a social construct because WE as a culture and society assign roles to males and females.

Question 15

Who worked in the Olduvai Gorge in Kenya? What did they study?

Answer 15

The Leakeys. Studied fossilized tools.

Question 16

We briefly discussed the importance of the Orangutan in primate evolution in relation to our ancestors. What key fact did I mention?

Answer 16

That orangutans were the first to evolve apart from them.

Question 17

Would the study of sociolinguistics be more objective or subjective research? Explain.

Answer 17

Subjective. This is the case because sociolinguistics look at how people use language to express a belief or context within their society. It is looking with a perspective of how one understands and applies a language within a culture.

Question 18

When thinking about cultural traits, what kind of trait would a textbook be considered as? Why?

Answer 18

A material trait. Because it is a physical thing that exists.

Question 19

In sports, competition would be an example of what kind of trait?

Answer 19

A non-material trait.

Question 20

People who claim to be only Mac users and will only buy, work with and use Apple products could included in what?

Answer 20

A subculture.