Week 6: Religion & Worldview

Question 1

Anthropologists take analytical approach

Answer 1

focus on practice and how belief systems intersect with other aspects of culture

Question 2

Rituals definition

Answer 2

intended to influence supernatural to benefit the performers

Question 3

Rituals classifications

Answer 3

Two classifications
a. Conscious purpose
b. Timing

Question 4

worldview

Answer 4

set of beliefs about the nature of the universe of the reality that influence the way people think about the world

Question 5

ontology

Answer 5

study of reality

Question 6

functions of religion (3)

Answer 6

Intellectual/cognitive
Psychological
Social

Question 7

rites of passage

Answer 7

A ceremony or ritual that marks a person’s transition from one social group to another

Question 8

functions of rites of passage

Answer 8

compels individual to comply to their groups’ social/religious norms

Question 9

superstition

Answer 9

desire to influence unpredictable factors

Question 10

shamanistic cults

Answer 10

some individuals are believes to have special relationships with the supernatural

Question 11

communal cults

Answer 11

members of group meet periodically to perform rituals to benefit the group

Question 12

ecclesiastical cults

Answer 12

full time religious practitioners who form a religious bureaucracy (priests)

Question 13

Revitalization movements

Answer 13

Most often occur under 3 conditions:
1. Rapid change often caused by exposure to unfamiliar people, customs and objects
2. Foreign domination which leads to cultural loss (especially common in colonial situations)
3. Perception of relative deprivation (people see themselves as lacking wealth, power and esteem relative to those that dominate them)

Question 14

individualistic cults

Answer 14

Everyone has a personal relationship with one or more supernatural powers that serve as their protectors
No formal religious specialists
No known society where their entire religion is comprised of just individualistic cults

Question 15

cross cultural

Answer 15

comparative surveys of ethnographic data

Question 16

religion

Answer 16

beliefs and rituals pertaining to the supernatural

Question 17

witchcraft

Answer 17

use of psychic power to cause harm

Question 18

sorcery

Answer 18

use of rites and spells to cause harm

Question 19

imitative

Answer 19

objects connecting to the supernatural (voodoo dolls)

Question 20

contagious

Answer 20

power comes from contact (using hair, nails etc.)

Question 21

varieties of religious organizations

Answer 21

cults