Deck 1: Anthropology: What Are Its Subfields and Perspectives

Question 1

The four fields of anthropology are

A) biological anthropology, paleoanthropology, cultural anthropology, prehistoric archaeology.
B) paleoanthropology, primatology, forensics, cultural anthropology, prehistoric archaeology.
C) biological anthropology, cultural anthropology, archaeology, linguistics.
D) archaeology, ethnography, ethnology, cultural anthropology.

Answer 1

biological anthropology, cultural anthropology, archaeology, linguistics.

Question 2

What are the traditional areas of focus within cultural anthropology?

A) archaeology and applied anthropology.
B) forensic archaeology and descriptive linguistics.
C) ethnographic and ethnological research.
D) primatology and contemporary human variation.

Answer 2

ethnographic and ethnological research.

Question 3

The overall goals of anthropological research include this aspect of human biology:

A) mapping the genome of Homo sapiens.
B) describing human races.
C) description and analysis of the evolution of Homo sapiens.
D) assessing the influence of biochemistry on human behavioral evolution.

Answer 3

description and analysis of the evolution of Homo sapiens.

Question 4

Goals of research in cultural anthropology include

A) explaining cultural ecology.
B) describing the origin and spread of human religions.
C) describing and explaining human geographic distribution.
D) describing cultural similarities and differences.

Question 5

Anthropology is unique as a discipline because it

A) is holistic in its approach.
B) uses statistical methods.
C) collects data in the field.
D) uses the scientific method.

Question 6

What is meant by the "holistic" approach in anthropology?

A) entire cultures are studied and compared.
B) the entire time of human existence is studied.
C) human beings are viewed in the broadest context possible-biologically and culturally through time.
D) cultures are studied using fieldwork and participant observation, together with a perspective of cultural relativism.

Question 7

Holism in anthropology means that

A) humans are included in the study of ecological systems.
B) whole societies are examined in an evolutionary context.
C) the entire time of human existence is studied.
D) humans are studied biologically and culturally through time.

Question 8

Holism, as used in anthropology, may be characterized as

A) an archaeological excavation pit.
B) the study of a single culture.
C) a broad, integrated perspective.
D) the comparative approach.

Question 9

On what do humanistic anthropologists focus their studies?

A) The application of the scientific method to the study of humans.
B) The use of the comparative method when studying cultures.
C) The uniqueness of every individual in a culture.
D) The common behavioral patterns of a society.

Question 10

The description of a single society based on fieldwork is called

A) an ethnography.
B) an ethnology.
C) a comparative analysis.
D) a cultural anthropology.

Question 11

The approach that compares and analyzes cultural data with a goal of making general statements about human cultural adaptations is called

A) ethnography.
B) ethnology.
C) cultural relativism.
D) holism.

Question 12

Ethnological studies include a

A) description of a society based on fieldwork.
B) systematic study of cultural features and artifacts.
C) report of the culture's impact on the environment.
D) comparison of entire cultures or a single facet of cultures.

Question 13

Biological anthropology includes the following areas of study:

A) human fossils, artifacts, and ecofacts.
B) artifacts, human fossils, and forensics.
C) primates, population genetics, and human fossils.
D) artifacts, primates, and human fossils.

Question 14

An attitude of ethnocentrism toward another group

A) encourages friendship and understanding.
B) aids understanding between cultures.
C) prevents doing ethnology.
D) prevents understanding of other cultures.

Question 15

A positive adaptive value of ethnocentrism is it may

A) create greater understanding of others.
B) result in individuals becoming cultural relativists.
C) result in a group becoming independent.
D) create social cohesion for the group.

Question 16

Making value judgments based on your own culture when describing another culture is called cultural

A) relativism.
B) ethnocentrism.
C) ethnography.
D) customs.

Question 17

An anthropologist who views and evaluates aspects of a culture from within the context of that culture is said to be using which of the following perspective?

A) Cultural ethnocentrism.
B) Ethnographic analysis.
C) Cultural relativism.
D) Cultural differences.

Question 18

You have just written a paper titled "The Fossil Evidences for Early Human Bipedalism." You are what type of anthropologist?

A) Ethnographer.
B) Ethnologist.
C) Archaeologist.
D) Paleoanthropologist.

Question 19

One section group that is NOT found in the American Anthropological Association is the

A) Association for Africanist Anthropology.
B) Council for Museum Anthropology.
C) Society of Medical Anthropology.
D) Society for Ethnic Studies.

Question 20

Goldstein's study of polyandry by Tibetans living in Nepal showed that polyandry

A) resulted from the practice of infanticide.
B) prevented starvation.
C) prevented male-owned lands from being split.
D) was prohibited by religious beliefs.

Question 21

Criteria that are used to judge the worth of a scientific hypothesis include all of the following EXCEPT

A) whether the hypothesis explains things.
B) whether the hypothesis is relevant.
C) whether the hypothesis is compatible with established theories.
D) whether the hypothesis is testable.

Question 22

Research in anthropological archaeology includes:

A) classical archaeology and cultural resource management (CRM).
B) prehistoric archaeology and ethnoarchaeology.
C) paleoanthropology and prehistoric archaeology.
D) classical archaeology and paleoanthropology.

Question 23

A cultural resource management (CRM) archaeologist's work focuses on

A) writing environmental impact reports.
B) excavating prehistoric sites.
C) researching historical archives.
D) learning the techniques to make stone tools.

Question 24

In William Rathje's garbology project that focused on household waste, front door interviews found 15 percent of respondents saying that they consumed beer.The trash discard from the same area showed what percentage of household's consuming beer?

A) 80 percent
B) 60 percent
C) 40 percent
D) 20 percent

Question 25

I am an anthropologist who has just completed the excavation of a small North American gold mining camp occupied in the Nineteenth Century.What type of archaeologist am I?

A) classical archaeologist
B) historical archaeologist
C) prehistoric archaeologist
D) experimental archaeologist

Question 26

I am an anthropologist who has just completed a paper on the syntax of the Hopi language.I am known as

A) a historical linguist.
B) an ethnolinguist.
C) a descriptive linguist.
D) a sociolinguist.

Question 27

Linguistics is a subfield of anthropology that

A) focuses on the mechanics of language.
B) evaluates the relationship between language and social relationships.
C) reconstructs the history of language.
D) All of the above.

Question 28

Many people, including some anthropologists, argue that we should not hold positions of cultural relativism because

A) some cultures are more advanced than others.
B) human rights violations, such as violence against women, are universally wrong.
C) universal human values cannot be applied equally.
D) less advanced cultures will be offended by this view.

Question 29

I have just written a paper on the stride used by the early human fossil known as "Lucy." What type of anthropologist am I?

A) primatologist
B) paleontologist
C) paleoanthropologist
D) prehistoric archaeologist

Question 30

Contemporary human variation studies undertaken by anthropologists include all of the following subjects EXCEPT

A) DNA.
B) disease.
C) nutritional deficiencies.
D) fossils.

Question 31

Archaeological features include the following types of evidence:

A) soils and plants.
B) roadways and fire hearths.
C) projectile points and stone artifacts.
D) fossil remains and pollen.

Question 32

Forensic anthropologists apply their knowledge to legal issues by studying what materials?

A) Hair samples recovered from crime victim clothing.
B) Blood splatter patterns at a crime scene.
C) Bullets and bullet casings at a crime scene.
D) Skeletal remains at an airline crash site.

Question 33

"Floorwalkers heel" is a condition that is identified by forensic anthropologists based on the

A) heel print showing lateral wear.
B) unusual flattening of the heel bone caused by excessive walking and standing.
C) unusual flattening of the metatarsal bones due to the pressure from the heel.
D) bony spurs on the heel caused by walking on hard surfaces.

Question 34

The idea that any aspect of a culture must be viewed and evaluated within the context of that culture is called

A) cultural ethnocentrism.
B) cultural relativism.
C) cultural ethnography.
D) cultural holism.

Question 35

One of the key features of the scientific method is

A) using statistical methods.
B) fieldwork.
C) background investigations.
D) formulating hypotheses.

Question 36

Anthropologists seek to explain human cultural behavior through the use of

A) cultural relativism.
B) the scientific method.
C) fieldwork.
D) cultural resource management.

Question 37

Anthropologist Lawrence Kuznar favors using the scientific method in anthropology because

A) things can be proved through scientific investigation.
B) things can be disproved through scientific investigation.
C) scientific investigation yields statistical data for analysis.
D) more accurate knowledge can be gained through time.

Question 38

Briefly describe two goals for anthropological research.

Question 39

Contrast ethnography and ethnology.

Question 40

List three types of archaeology and explain what each investigates.

Question 41

Explain why the following statement is ethnocentric or relativistic: "The Inuit children have the disgusting habit of eating raw fish eyes."

Question 42

Explain why the following statement is ethnocentric or relativistic: "Village men were blowing a hallucinogenic drug up their noses when we arrived at the village.Green mucus ran freely from their noses."

Question 43

Briefly discuss one reason cultural relativism should not be applied universally.

Question 44

Describe how historical archaeology differs from history.

Question 45

List and describe three types of linguistic studies.

Question 46

State how anthropology is different from one of the following: sociology, psychology, biology, and history.

Question 47

Discuss one difficulty that cultural anthropologists encounter when they strive to apply the scientific method.

Question 48

Discuss one specific way the anthropological concepts of ethnocentrism and cultural relativism can be applied to one of the following: your neighborhood, your place of work, your child's school, and your favorite sporting event.

Question 49

What are the four fields of anthropology, and what kinds of phenomena do anthropologists working in these areas study?

Question 50

Discuss how anthropology is unique when compared with other disciplines.

Question 51

Explain what is meant by a holistic approach to the study of humankind.

Question 52

Explain the terms ethnocentrism and cultural relativism.Cite a specific example of each.

Question 53

Explain the concept of ethnocentrism.How can it be harmful to the ethnocentric person and to others?

Question 54

Cultural relativism is an important concept in anthropology.What are the potential problems that may occur if it is taken too literally?

Question 55

Is anthropology a science? Discuss.