Exam 2: Culture

Homogenization is just one of the effects of globalization on cultures around the world. Define homogenization and give at least three examples of it. Are there aspects from other cultures that you now incorporate into your own culture? If so, please provide at least two examples. Do you think that globalization will indeed cause the homogenization of world cultures in the future? Why or why not?

Margaret Mead's (1901-1979) fieldwork in Samoa was controversial in part because she examined sexual freedom, and considered sex to be a matter of ________.

In your own words, define the term ethnocentrism and provide a concrete example that illustrates the concept. Then discuss how ethnocentrism is related to cultural relativism and why anthropologists must concern themselves with ethnocentrism when conducting cross-cultural research. Conclude by offering some suggestions for concrete ways in which anthropologists can counter ethnocentrism in mainstream society today.

The credit card industry in the United States is able to extend credit to nearly anyone, even if they are unable to repay the credit card debt. In which population group is this is especially noticeable?

Ideas or rules about how people should behave in particular situations or toward certain other people are considered ________.

Franz Boas (1858-1942) rejected unilineal cultural evolution, instead suggesting that different cultures arise as the result of very different causes, and will vary widely. What do we call his approach?

Anthropologists studying female circumcision might personally be horrified by the practice, but must also be able to suspend their own personal judgment in order to understand the beliefs and practices of others within their cultural context. What is this known as?

In her book Liquidated: An Ethnography of Wall Street, Karen Ho uses ethnography to explore the ways in which Wall Street bankers are socialized into the temporal life of the market. An examination of the meaning of time among Wall Street bankers is an example of ________.

Until now, studies of human evolution have focused on ________ percent of our cells that we typically call human.

Evolutionary psychologists argue that how we think and behave is hardwired in our DNA. This has led to ideas about differences in men and women as fundamental-men as hunters, women as gatherers. What is the central argument that anthropologists have used to critique this idea?

Evolutionary psychologists generally argue that our genetic makeup determines who we are and how we behave, while most anthropologists argue otherwise. What do anthropologists argue regarding the nature versus nurture debate surrounding who we are and how we behave? What evidence do anthropologists have to substantiate their argument?

Cultures are influenced by many different factors, including a constant flow of ideas, goods, and people. What is one of the major ways that people influence culture?

The concept of culture is a very recent idea and was actually developed without the benefit of any fieldwork whatsoever by:

Family gatherings that honor particular moments in our lives-weddings, special holidays, and so forth-are often sources of tension when different family members want to "change things up." As a facet of culture and how we learn it, this reminds us that culture is a shared experience. It also reminds us that culture is:

The notion of a culture of consumerism is distinct from the concept of culture more generally. Do you think that the culture of consumerism affects culture more generally in some way, and if so, how? What are some benefits and drawbacks of the culture of consumerism in society today? Do you think it will affect the future of societies, and if so, in what explicit ways?

Which of the following is defined as the ability or potential to bring about change through action or influence?

Anthropologists attempting to understand humans and their interactions engage with the idea of ________ as both a definition and theoretical framework.

In his research conducted in the Trobriand Islands, Bronislaw Malinowski (1884-1942) employed an early form of what type of anthropological theory?

When someone gets sick, this may not simply represent a deficiency in the person's immune system, but a shift in his or her ________.

We often find ourselves seeing something as a "natural truth" and viewing any alternative as unthinkable. What is this an expression of?