ANTH Basic 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the four major subfields of anthropology focuses on human biological evolution and variation?
- Biological anthropology (Correct answer)
- Cultural anthropology
- Linguistic anthropology
- Archaeology
Correct answer: Biological anthropology
Biological (physical) anthropology studies human evolution, genetics, and biological variation.
Question 2: The idea that a culture should be understood on its own terms rather than judged by another culture's standards is called what?
- Cultural relativism (Correct answer)
- Ethnocentrism
- Cultural materialism
- Functionalism
Correct answer: Cultural relativism
Cultural relativism holds that beliefs and practices should be understood within their own cultural context.
Question 3: A researcher living among a community for a year to observe daily life is using which method?
- Participant observation (Correct answer)
- Survey sampling
- Controlled experiment
- Content analysis
Correct answer: Participant observation
Participant observation involves living with and taking part in the daily activities of a group being studied.
Question 4: The written account produced from long-term fieldwork with a particular group is called an:
- Ethnography (Correct answer)
- Ethnology
- Epigraph
- Etymology
Correct answer: Ethnography
An ethnography is the descriptive study and written account of a single culture based on fieldwork.
Question 5: Judging another culture as inferior based on the assumptions of one's own culture is known as:
- Ethnocentrism (Correct answer)
- Cultural relativism
- Holism
- Diffusion
Correct answer: Ethnocentrism
Ethnocentrism is the tendency to view one's own culture as superior and to judge others by it.
Question 6: Which subfield studies past human societies primarily through their material remains?
- Archaeology (Correct answer)
- Linguistic anthropology
- Cultural anthropology
- Ethnomusicology
Correct answer: Archaeology
Archaeology reconstructs past cultures by analyzing artifacts, features, and other material remains.
Question 7: The anthropological principle that all parts of a culture are interconnected is called:
- Holism (Correct answer)
- Reductionism
- Determinism
- Positivism
Correct answer: Holism
Holism is the perspective that the parts of a culture must be understood in relation to the whole.
ANTH Basic 2
Which of the four major subfields of anthropology focuses on human biological evolution and variation?