Question 1

Since there are so many anthropologists in the United States, the distinction between emic and etic does not apply to American culture.

Accepted Answer

The distinction between emic and etic still applies in American anthropology, as it is a fundamental concept for understanding and analyzing any culture, including one's own.

Question 2

Despite the increasing popularity of team research among anthropologists, the best ethnographies are always the product of individual work.

Accepted Answer

While team research is becoming more common in anthropology, the statement suggests that the best ethnographies are always the product of individual work, which is a subjective statement and not necessarily true in all cases. Collaborative ethnography can offer a broader perspective and insight, and some notable ethnographies have been produced through team research.

Question 3

Survey research is usually conducted through intensive personal contact with the study subjects.

Accepted Answer

Survey research can be conducted through various methods such as online surveys, phone interviews, and mail surveys. While personal contact can be a method of conducting surveys, it is not the only way and may not always be the most practical or efficient method.

Question 4

Boas and his students were strong proponents of cross-cultural comparisons, without which they could not validate their findings.

Accepted Answer

Boas and his students emphasized the importance of understanding cultures on their own terms rather than through direct comparison, arguing that each culture is unique and must be studied within its own context.

Question 5

Much of the history of anthropology has been about the roles and relative prominence of culture and the individual.

Accepted Answer

Yes, this statement is true. Anthropologists have long debated the relationship between culture and the individual, with some emphasizing the power of culture to shape individuals and others emphasizing individual agency in shaping culture.

Question 6

Manchester anthropologists Max Gluckman and Victor Turner made conflict an important part of their analysis, distancing themselves somewhat from Panglossian functionalism, the tendency to see things as functioning not just to maintain the system but to do so in the most optimal way possible.

Accepted Answer

Max Gluckman and Victor Turner did make conflict an important part of their analysis and did distance themselves from Panglossian functionalism.

Question 7

This chapter's overview of the history of anthropological theory suggests that the discipline has made no important contributions to social theory in general.

Accepted Answer

The overview of the history of anthropological theory in this chapter suggests that the discipline has made important contributions to social theory in general, particularly in areas such as kinship, exchange, and symbolism.

Question 8

The etic perspective refers to a non-scientific perspective.

Accepted Answer

The etic perspective refers to an outsider's perspective that is not limited to the viewpoints and values of a specific culture. It is a scientific approach to studying human behavior and culture, focusing on universal principles and patterns.

Question 9

Franz Boas's famous biological studies of European immigrants to the United States revealed and measured phenotypical plasticity, showing that the environment and cultural forces could change human biology.

Accepted Answer

This statement accurately reflects Franz Boas's research findings and views on the relationship between culture and biology. Boas argued that biological differences between human populations were largely determined by environmental and social factors, rather than innate, racial characteristics. His studies of European immigrants showed that changes in diet, lifestyle, and other cultural influences could lead to observable changes in physical traits like head shape and height.

Question 10

The overall trend in anthropological theory has been from theories that put human agency at the center of cultural dynamics to paradigms that see evolution as the main force behind cultural change.

Accepted Answer

The overall trend in anthropological theory has actually been from evolution-focused paradigms to theories that emphasize human agency and cultural dynamics. This shift is often referred to as the "cultural turn" in anthropology.

Question 11

Given the realities of the contemporary world, anthropologists need to apply methods that protect their analyses from biases caused by external forces.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Given the realities of the contemporary world,...

Question 12

Beyond Morgan's and Tylor's early anthropological work, no major theoretical paradigm in anthropology has embraced the role of evolution in cultural change.

Accepted Answer

Evolutionary theory has become a major theoretical paradigm in anthropology, with scholars like Richard Dawkins, Steven Pinker, and David Sloan Wilson using it to explain cultural change and human behavior.

Question 13

Survey research studies a small sample of a larger population.

Accepted Answer

Survey research typically involves selecting a smaller group of individuals from a larger population and gathering data from them in order to make conclusions about the broader population.

Question 14

Among the classic works of processual approaches to culture is Edmund Leach's Political Systems of Highland Burma. This study made a tremendously important point by taking a regional rather than a local perspective.

Accepted Answer

The statement is true. Edmund Leach's Political Systems of Highland Burma took a regional perspective, arguing that cultural practices should be understood in the context of broader social and historical processes. This approach was influential in the development of processual archaeology and anthropology.

Question 15

Longitudinal research is the long-term study of a community, region, society, culture, or other unit, usually based on repeated visits.

Accepted Answer

Longitudinal research involves repeated visits over a long period of time in order to study a specific unit, such as a community or society.

Question 16

Morgan and Edward Tylor, both considered among the fathers of anthropology, worked within the paradigm of unilinear evolution.

Accepted Answer

Both Morgan and Edward Tylor believed in unilinear evolution, the idea that cultures developed along a single path of progress and evolution towards civilization.

Question 17

Ethnography is increasingly multi-timed and multi-sited, the result of a shift toward a recognition of the ongoing and inescapable flows of people, technology, images, and information that characterizes much of the world today.

Accepted Answer

The statement is true, as ethnography has shifted towards acknowledging the multiple temporal and spatial dimensions of social life in a globally interconnected world.

Question 18

Briefly describe the nine characteristic field techniques of the ethnographer. How do they compare with the research techniques you have learned about in courses or readings in other academic disciplines?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Briefly describe the nine characteristic field techniques...

Question 19

The emic perspective focuses on local explanations of criteria and significance.

Accepted Answer

The emic perspective emphasizes the local or insider's viewpoint in understanding and interpreting phenomena, and seeks to understand how people in a particular culture or community explain and value certain practices, beliefs, or experiences. Emic analysis is characterized by its attention to cultural context, meanings, and norms, and its effort to avoid imposing external standards or theories on the study of indigenous concepts and behaviors. In contrast, the etic perspective adopts a more objective, cross-cultural approach that focuses on comparing and contrasting different cultural systems and identifying universal patterns or principles.

Question 20

The American Anthropological Association Code of Ethics prohibits anthropologists from working with governments on matters of national security.

Accepted Answer

The American Anthropological Association Code of Ethics does not explicitly prohibit anthropologists from working with governments on matters of national security. Instead, it emphasizes the need for transparency, informed consent, and the welfare of affected parties, allowing for such work under ethical guidelines.

Quiz 3: Method and Theory in Cultural Anthropology