Question 1

The cultural materialist perspective uses a three-level model of culture that includes

Accepted Answer

The cultural materialist perspective uses a three-level model of culture consisting of infrastructure (the material conditions that shape society), structure (social organizations and institutions), and superstructure (symbols and ideas that reflect and reinforce societal values and norms). This model emphasizes the ways in which economic and material factors influence cultural practices and beliefs.

Question 2

A major theoretical debate exists in cultural anthropology today between

Accepted Answer

The major theoretical debate in cultural anthropology today is between cultural materialists and interpretivist anthropologists. Cultural materialists believe that material conditions, such as environment and technology, shape culture, while interpretivist anthropologists emphasize the importance of symbols and meanings in the creation of culture.

Question 3

The San people of Southern Africa

Accepted Answer

The San people collaborated with advocacy groups to secure a share of the profits from the commercialization of hoodia, which is used in diet pills.

Question 4

The tendency to apply one's own cultural values in judging the behavior and beliefs of people raised in other cultures is known as

Accepted Answer

Ethnocentrism refers to the belief in the inherent superiority of one's own cultural group and the tendency to judge other cultures based on one's own cultural standards. It can result in a biased and limited understanding of other cultures.

Question 5

Culture

Accepted Answer

Culture is a complex phenomenon that cannot be accurately described by any of the provided statements. It is not correct to say it is more developed in one region compared to another, as cultural development is not a linear or universally measurable process. Culture did not first emerge 10,000 years ago; it has been a part of human societies for much longer, evolving with human groups over time. It is not predominantly transferred through genes, as it is largely learned and shared through social interactions. While globalization affects cultures, saying it is being destroyed by globalization oversimplifies the impacts, which can include both negative and positive elements such as cultural exchange and revitalization.

Question 6

People who have a longstanding connection with their home territory predating colonialism are referred to as

Accepted Answer

Indigenous people have a longstanding connection with their home territory that predates colonialism.

Question 7

A cultural relativist would view contemporary Nacirema culture as

Accepted Answer

A cultural relativist believes that every culture is equally worthwhile and interesting to study, and does not make value judgments about them. Therefore, they would view contemporary Nacirema culture as just as interesting and worthy of study as any other culture.

Question 8

The increased spread of international ties and spread of Western capitalism worldwide is referred to as

Accepted Answer

The term that best describes the increased spread of international ties and Western capitalism worldwide is globalization. The other options, such as interdependency and holism, are related concepts but do not fully capture the idea of the global spread of economic systems and cultural exchange. Capitalization is not a commonly used term in this context.

Question 9

Linguistic anthropologists study

Accepted Answer

Linguistic anthropologists study all of the above, including the structure and grammar of contemporary languages, nonverbal communication, language change over time, and language relationships.

Question 10

Among Tejano immigrants in the United States, making tamales symbolizes

Accepted Answer

The answer of Among Tejano immigrants in the United States,...

Question 11

The functionalist approach says that

Accepted Answer

The functionalist approach sees culture as a system that is similar to a biological organism with interacting and interdependent parts that work together to maintain the overall functional stability of the culture. This perspective emphasizes that different aspects and elements of culture (like beliefs, values, norms, social institutions, and practices) have functions or purposes that contribute to the overall survival and stability of the culture. Thus, the functionalist approach doesn't focus on power or evolution but rather on how culture functions to meet the basic needs of its members. It also allows for valid cross-cultural comparisons as it looks at similarities and differences in cultural systems and how they work.

Question 12

The field of anthropology that studies human language and communication is called

Accepted Answer

Linguistic anthropology is the specific field within anthropology dedicated to the study of human language and communication. Biological anthropology focuses on human biology and evolution, communication science may include non-human communication and is not specific to anthropology, applied anthropology involves using anthropological knowledge to solve practical problems, and audiovisual anthropology focuses on visual media.

Question 13

Microcultures, according to the textbook, can be formed on the basis of

Accepted Answer

Microcultures can be formed based on various factors such as age, class, race, and gender or a combination of these factors. Therefore, all of the options presented are correct.

Question 14

The Garbage Project has much practical relevance because it provides information on

Accepted Answer

The Garbage Project provides information on recent consumption patterns, which can have practical applications in waste management and designing products with a longer lifespan to reduce waste. Options A, B, and D are not necessarily the focus of the Garbage Project, and option E is not accurate as the project certainly has practical relevance.

Question 15

The main goal of cultural anthropology is to

Accepted Answer

Cultural anthropology aims to understand the beliefs, values, behaviors, and practices of various cultures around the world. This involves studying not only the historical and social context of a culture but also the individual perspectives and experiences of the people within it. The goal is to gain a deep understanding of how and why people behave and think the way they do, rather than to predict or change culture.

Question 16

Biological anthropologists focus on

Accepted Answer

Biological anthropologists specialize in the study of human evolution and variations in humans across different populations. They focus on topics such as DNA analysis, skeletal remains, and comparative anatomy to understand the biological diversity that exists within the human species. They also study how factors such as environment and culture have shaped human biology over time.

Question 17

The cultural materialist interpretation of the Hindu belief in sacred cows points to

Accepted Answer

Cultural materialism argues that cultural practices and beliefs are shaped by material conditions such as economic and environmental factors. In the case of the Hindu belief in sacred cows, the cultural materialist interpretation would point to the economic and environmental value of cows in agrarian societies. Cows provided valuable resources such as milk, fertilizer, and labor while also serving as a way to store wealth. Therefore, the sacredness of cows in Hinduism could be seen as a way to preserve and protect this valuable resource. The belief in their fertility and ritual purity may also stem from their economic and practical value rather than being the sole reason for their sacred status.

Question 18

San peoples of Southern Africa fought a long legal battle to gain profits from

Accepted Answer

The San peoples fought a long legal battle to gain profits from the use of their traditional knowledge related to the appetite-suppressing properties of the Hoodia plant, which was developed into a new diet pill.

Question 19

Archaeologists use which of the following as research materials?

Accepted Answer

Archaeologists use a range of materials such as old pottery, prehistoric stone tools, remains of ruined houses, and contemporary garbage heaps to conduct research and understand past human cultures and behavior. Therefore, option E "all of the above" is the best answer.

Question 20

Anthropology is usually divided into four fields, but some people claim that a fifth should be included, called

Accepted Answer

The four traditional fields of anthropology are cultural anthropology, archaeology, linguistic anthropology, and physical/biological anthropology. However, many anthropologists argue that applied anthropology should be recognized as a fifth field because it focuses on using anthropological methods and theories to address practical problems in the world, such as poverty, healthcare, and environmental sustainability.

Quiz 1: Anthropology and the Study of Culture