Name: ___________________________ Class: _________________ Date: __________
chapter 2
1. Globalization has led to an unprecedented rate of change worldwide. Barely one
hundred years ago, anthropologists traveled to remote places to document other
peoples’ lifestyles, which have already dramatically shifted. How has globalization
changed ethnographic research for anthropologists? What aspects of culture within
the framework of globalization might an anthropologist study to produce
meaningful, useful results?
2. Homogenization is just one of the effects of globalization on cultures around the
world. Define homogenization and give at least three examples of it. Give two
examples of cultural elements that originated in cultures different from your own
that you now see as part of your own culture. Do you think that globalization will
indeed cause the homogenization of world cultures in the future? Why or why not?
3. The advertising industry is key in igniting human desires for goods and services,
which fuels a culture of consumerism. How does the power of advertising compare
to the power of hegemony in influencing what people consider to be the “norm” in
their cultural experiences? Are there any interconnections between the culture of
consumerism and political organization in your society today? Is there any
evidence that suggests advertising is also used as a tool in politics to support and
to institute hegemonic ideologies of certain groups who hold power within
societies? Provide concrete examples with each of your answers.
4. The notion of a culture of consumerism is distinct from the concept of culture more
generally. Do you think that a culture of consumerism has effects on other aspects
of human cultures? What are some benefits and drawbacks of the culture of
consumerism in your society today? Do you think cultures of consumerism could
affect societies in long-term ways? How?
5. The culture of consumerism in the United States and globally has intensified,
especially during the last fifty years. What constitutes a culture of consumerism
and how does it relate to the concept of culture more generally? What are three
examples of how the culture of consumerism affects culture in general in the
United States? Does the U.S. culture of consumerism affect other cultures
worldwide, and if so, how?
6. Former Harvard University president and economist Lawrence Summers
commented in a 2005 speech that Harvard and other, similar universities likely
have more men in science and math faculties than women because men’s brains
are better suited for success in these areas. Does Summers’s statement reflect a
nature or nurture perspective of human experience? Based on what you have read
in Chapter 2, what may be some of the reasons why there is a gender discrepancy
in science and math faculties in U.S. colleges and universities? What role does
culture play in such discrepancies?
7. Popular American discourse often assigns biology—and usually genes—the
primary role in determining who we are. 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?
8. Define human agency and explain how it relates to culture and power. Provide two
examples of how individuals engage in human agency. Next, using these same two
examples, discuss how human agency may be used to challenge aspects of
culture and power. What are some of the implications of this relationship between
agency and culture or power?
9. Antonio Gramsci described hegemony as one of two primary aspects of power.
Define hegemony and provide at least two concrete examples of how it serves as a
form of power. What is the second aspect of power that Gramsci described and
how does it differ from hegemony? Which of the two aspects of power do you
believe is likely to be more effective in countries today, such as in the United
States? Why?
10. Using an interpretivist approach, anthropologist Clifford Geertz argues that
seemingly straightforward actions such as winking have deep cultural meanings.
Describe what constitutes an interpretivist approach. Next, provide your own
example of a cultural action that you think conveys deep cultural meaning. What do
you believe the action symbolizes culturally? How do you know that the action
conveys deep cultural meaning and how did you learn its meaning? Would an
individual need to be a member of the particular society in order to understand the
deep cultural meaning of the action, or would anyone be able to interpret it
correctly? Explain your reasoning.
11. Early anthropologists suggested that all cultures would naturally evolve through the
same sequence of stages, regardless of location or historical experience. What
was this concept called and who were two of its early proponents? What were the
three primary stages that all cultures pass through, according to this
anthropological approach? In your opinion, what are some implications of this
approach for the way in which societies are perceived around the world?
12. Define and distinguish between the approaches of historical particularism and
structural functionalism in early anthropology. Who developed each of these
approaches, and how does each go about studying culture? How did these two
approaches differ from the preceding approach of unilineal cultural evolution?
13. Mental maps of reality constitute one of the four elements that anthropologists
often consider when conducting research on culture. Define mental maps of reality
and discuss the two important functions that mental maps of reality play regarding
culture. Provide a concrete example for each of the two functions. Conclude by
discussing why anthropologists should consider a group of people’s mental maps
of reality when trying to understand their culture.
14. Describe an example of a cultural encounter that you have experienced in your
own life and discuss the cultural norms, values, symbols, and mental maps of
reality that characterized the encounter. Conclude by discussing what you learned
about cultural differences from that encounter.
15. Which is an the example of how rural populations are affected by globalization?
a.
Rural populations watch locally produced television content.
b.
Rural populations purchase expensive products that they see advertised on
television.
c.
Egyptians in rural areas watch Coca-Cola advertisements on television.
d.
Rural populations reject globalization by sticking to the same cultural norms
and rules.
16. What does the presence of the McDo rice burger on the McDonald’s menu in the
Philippines suggest?
a.
Homogenization of local culture is occurring.
b.
People go to McDonald’s to participate in what they view as a middle-class
activity.
c.
Global encounters can be modified to reflect local culture.
d.
nothing
17. Globalization has increased flows of ideas, goods, and people. Migrant workers in
New York City bring their labor and ideas with them, but anthropologist Robert
Smith, in Mexican New York, illustrates the fact that migrant laborers in New York
also bring
a.
cheaper oranges from Mexico.
b.
HIV back to Mexico.
c.
counterfeit video materials from Mexico.
d.
community development back to Mexico.
18. Despite some anthropologists’ and activists’ fears that globalization would reduce
cultural diversity through homogenization, the outcome of many global encounters
has led to a mixing of elements from other cultures into a community’s beliefs and
practices. This is called
a.
migration.
b.
displacement.
c.
cosmopolitanism.
d.
hybridization.
19. The differences in menu items in McDonald’s restaurants around the world is a
counterexample to what potential consequence of globalization?
a.
hegemony
b.
consumer culture
c.
coercion
d.
homogenization
20. Ifeoluwa and Grace live in different countries, practice different religions, and speak
different languages. However, they both like the same clothing brands and have
the same favorite television show. Their surprising similarities demonstrate the
impact of
a.
cultural norms.
b.
stratification.
c.
unilineal cultural evolution.
d.
globalization.
21. The export of television shows worldwide and the knowledge of other cultures that
is subsequently disseminated to even remote areas of the world are examples of
how globalization can foster
a.
advertising.
b.
nationalism.
c.
cosmopolitanism.
d.
historical particularism.
22. A global outlook is emerging in response to increasing globalization linking cultural
practices, norms, and values across great distances, even to the most remote
areas of the world. What do anthropologists call this broad, as opposed to local,
outlook?
a.
capitalism
b.
cosmopolitanism
c.
homogenization
d.
migration
23. What do we call the process that reduces cultural diversity due to foreign
influences that inundate local practices, products, and ways of thinking?
a.
hegemony
b.
agency
c.
homogenization
d.
historical particularism
24. Which of the following processes is intensifying the exchange and diffusion of
people, ideas, and goods worldwide, creating more interaction and engagement
among cultures?
a.
historical particularism
b.
stratification
c.
epigenetics
d.
globalization
25. The values of today’s consumer culture differ from those of the old Protestant ethic.
Which of the following is an example of a consumer culture value?
a.
frugality
b.
modesty
c.
self-denial
d.
being middle-class
26. Culture and economics are closely linked to each other. What did Max Weber say
about the connection (or lack thereof) between Protestantism and capitalism?
a.
Protestant values led to the rise of capitalism in the West.
b.
Protestant values prevented capitalism from flourishing in the West.
c.
Capitalism rose in the West despite opposition from Protestant values.
d.
There is no connection between Protestantism and capitalism.
27. As a culture, consumer culture contains elements that make purchasing of goods
and services feel normal and natural, such as the values attached to buying gifts
on some holidays or how certain products serve as symbols of elevated social
status. Financial institutions play a role in this culture by
a.
allowing people to consume despite a lack of cash.
b.
promoting values of frugality, modesty, and self-denial.
c.
generating a desire to consume.
d.
restricting poor people from attaining higher social status through
consumption.
28. Which of the following industries has the primary goal of creating a desire for
goods and services?
a.
banking
b.
manufacturing
c.
advertising
d.
higher education
29. Current estimates suggest that children in the United States view almost 40,000
commercials a year. This advertising helps us learn how to do what?
a.
be successful in our roles as consumers
b.
best manage our personal finances
c.
have more friends through socialization
d.
manage and reduce our material desires
30. Which of the following describes how anthropologists describe the primary way
humans adapt to and manipulate their physical and social environments, in light of
the human evolutionary past?
a.
Cultural and genetic adaptation have become equally important as primary
adaptive mechanisms.
b.
Cultural adaptation has mostly replaced genetic adaptation.
c.
Genetic adaptation was, and is, primary.
d.
Epigenetic adaptation will soon replace culture as a primary adaptive
mechanism.
31. Recently, scientific researchers have been delving into how culture and human
behavior are affected by our DNA. One field that studies genes is the field of
epigenetics. What does the field of epigenetics study?
a.
the ways in which gene expression is influenced by a person’s environment
b.
the ways in which gene expression is changed by a DNA sequence
c.
the ways in which the microbiome influences gene expression
d.
the ways in which the behavior of hunter-gatherers influences human
behavior today
32. Which statement about epigenetics is accurate?
a.
Environmental factors sometimes directly affect the expression of genes.
b.
Once individuals are born, they do not adapt or evolve any further within their
lifetime.
c.
True genetic change requires very small changes over many generations.
d.
Environmental factors shape the lives of individuals, but not at the level of
genes.
33. What do scientists call the independent microorganisms (comprising about 90
percent of our 100 trillion cells) in the human body?
a.
epigenetics
b.
the human microbiome
c.
a symbolic system
d.
a cultural norm
34. All humans have shared biological needs, such as a need for food. However, in
China people have an aversion to cheese, a food that is highly desired in the
United States; and in the United States most people would find snake or dog meat
inedible, even though both are enjoyed in China. How can this be explained?
a.
genetic differences
b.
the influence of culture and environment
c.
epigenetic differences
d.
physical adaptation
35. You are an anthropologist investigating the ways that malnutrition in pregnant
women can affect the genetic development of their children. What field are you
engaging with?
a.
epigenetics
b.
structural functionalism
c.
unilineal cultural evolution
d.
mental maps of reality
36. Stone tools enabled our ancestors to butcher meat more quickly and efficiently,
thereby providing greater quantities of protein for the developing brain and
influencing the direction of our physical adaptation. This demonstrates the intimate
connection between
a.
unilineal cultural evolution and technology.
b.
norms and values.
c.
nature and nurture.
d.
biology and hegemony.
37. What is one field you may explore if you want to study the complex relationship
between culture and biology?
a.
epigenetics
b.
unilineal cultural evolution
c.
structural functionalism
d.
social evolutionary frameworks
38. Hegemony is one of two aspects of power described by Italian political philosopher
Antonio Gramsci. Which of the following situations is an example of hegemony?
a.
the fight to make interracial marriages more socially acceptable in the United
States
b.
British missionaries teaching supremacy of the Christian worldview in South
Africa
c.
the use of British military force in the colonialization of South Africa
d.
the banning of headscarves in schools by the French government
39. In 1989, a large number of people in China protested the lack of democratic
process through demonstrations in Tiananmen Square. From an anthropological
perspective, what is this called?
a.
structural functionalism
b.
actor networks
c.
hegemony
d.
expressing agency
40. We often find ourselves seeing some aspect of life within our cultural context as a
“natural truth” and viewing any alternative as unthinkable. What is this an
expression of?
a.
the hegemony of ideas
b.
the power of institutions
c.
stratification
d.
human agency
41. Which of the following is defined as the ability to create consent and agreement
within a population, sometimes unconsciously, by shaping what people think is
normal, natural, and possible?
a.
the culture of consumerism
b.
coercion
c.
enculturation
d.
hegemony
42. Antonio Gramsci (1891–1937) described two aspects of power. One was material
power. How did Gramsci describe the other aspect of power?
a.
the ability to create consent and agreement
b.
the stratification of wealth and power
c.
societal influence and status
d.
the existence of prestige and class
43. Culture is more than a set of ideas or patterns of behavior shared by a group of
people. It also includes general mechanisms created by people to promote and
maintain their core values. The 2015 U.S. Supreme Court ruling on same-sex
marriage reflects the influence of which of these types of mechanisms?
a.
religious preferences
b.
powerful institutions
c.
hegemony
d.
coercive powers
44. What do anthropologists call the uneven distribution of resources and privileges,
which is often along lines of gender, racial or ethnic group, class, age, family,
religion, sexuality, or legal status?
a.
racism
b.
stratification
c.
coercion
d.
hegemony
45. What did anthropologist Eric Wolf argue to be an aspect of all human relationships,
such as those between a teacher and a student or a landlord and tenant, that can
lead to stratification?
a.
segregation
b.
power dynamics
c.
hegemony
d.
empathy
46. Which of the following is defined as the ability or potential to bring about change
through action or influence?
a.
stratification
b.
hegemony
c.
coercion
d.
power
47. Which anthropologist advocated most explicitly for “thick description”?
a.
Clifford Geertz
b.
Bronislaw Malinowski
c.
Ruth Benedict
d.
Margaret Mead
48. In her book Liquidated: An Ethnography of Wall Street, Karen Ho combines a
detailed description of cultural activity with an analysis of the layers of cultural
meaning in which those activities are embedded. Her research is an example of
a.
thick description.
b.
enculturation.
c.
structural functionalism.
d.
historical particularism.
49. Clifford Geertz urged anthropologists to explore culture primarily as:
a.
a symbolic system.
b.
a sequence of stages from simple to complex.
c.
a structure of interconnected, functional parts.
d.
an uneven distribution of resources.
50. In his research conducted in the Trobriand Islands, Bronislaw Malinowski employed
an early form of what type of anthropological theory?
a.
structural functionalism
b.
unilineal cultural evolutionism
c.
epigenetics
d.
historical particularism
51. Many early anthropologists like Bronislaw Malinowski (1884–1942) drew from
biology to support their work. They believed that society, like the human body, was
composed of interconnected parts, with each part having
a.
many symbolic meanings.
b.
stratification.
c.
a particular function.
d.
a biological basis.
52. Anthropologists have uncovered evidence of vast trade networks throughout the
entire continent of North America that long predate the arrival of Europeans. The
exchange of cultural traits that can occur through such material exchanges is
called
a.
stratification.
b.
diffusion.
c.
evolution.
d.
enculturation.
53. Clifford Geertz (1926–2006) argued that every cultural action is more than the
action itself. It also has deeper meaning, subject to interpretation. What key idea in
anthropology did this important theoretical idea help promote?
a.
Cultures arise from different causes, not uniform processes.
b.
Symbols are a crucial means of understanding other cultures.
c.
Balinese symbols hold the key to how we might understand behaviors in
other cultures.
d.
Enculturation shapes sexual behavior.
54. The analysis of culture as a symbolic system is part of which anthropological
approach?
a.
structural functionalism
b.
historical particularism
c.
unilineal cultural evolution
d.
interpretivist approach
55. Margaret Mead’s fieldwork in Samoa was controversial in part because she
examined sexual freedom, and considered sexual behavior to be rooted in
a.
stratification.
b.
enculturation.
c.
unilineal culture evolution.
d.
structural functionalism.
56. Anthropologist Margaret Mead (1901–1978) is best known for her research on
sexuality among young people in Samoa. Mead contrasted this aspect of Samoan
culture with which aspect of culture among American people?
a.
sexual competition
b.
repression of sexuality
c.
sexual freedom
d.
wearing head coverings
57. Which student of Franz Boas explored the ways in which cultural traits and entire
cultures are uniquely patterned and integrated?
a.
Margaret Mead
b.
Bronislaw Malinowski
c.
E. E. Evans-Pritchard
d.
Ruth Benedict
58. 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?
a.
structural functionalism
b.
hegemony
c.
historical particularism
d.
unilineal cultural evolution
59. What concept, inspired by the work of Charles Darwin, proposes that the diversity
of human cultures represent different stages of development, from simple to
complex?
a.
historical particularism
b.
structural functionalism
c.
unilineal cultural evolution
d.
enculturation
60. _____ was an early anthropologist who sought to organize vast quantities of data
about the diversity of world cultures that were being accumulated through colonial
and missionary enterprises of the nineteenth century.
a.
Lewis Henry Morgan
b.
Franz Boas
c.
Bronislaw Malinowski
d.
Margaret Mead
61. Edward Burnett Tylor (1832–1917) is credited with crafting the first definition of
which of the following central concepts in anthropology?
a.
ethnography
b.
hegemony
c.
agency
d.
culture
62. The concept of culture is a very recent idea and was actually developed by
a.
Franz Boas’s work in the Pacific Northwest.
b.
Edward Burnett Tylor’s work in England.
c.
Charles Darwin’s work in the Galapagos Islands.
d.
Bronislaw Malinowski’s work in the Trobriand Islands.
63. Which of the following is an example of enculturation as a formal process?
a.
Children are required by their schools to sit at desks and raise hands to
speak.
b.
Children learn a second language by spending leisure time with their
neighbors.
c.
Children develop songs and games together as they play.
d.
Children learn vocabulary from listening to parents and siblings talk at home.
64. Identify the term that reflects the belief that one’s own culture or way of life is
normal, natural, or even superior to that of others. People who subscribe to this
belief may use their culture as a basis to evaluate and judge the cultural ideas and
practices of others.
a.
ethnocentrism
b.
cultural relativism
c.
enculturation
d.
hegemony
65. Although culture takes many forms worldwide, we can recognize shared
characteristics of culture as a concept. Which of the following statements is true of
culture?
a.
Culture is an innate part of human nature that does not need to be learned.
b.
Culture is a system.
c.
Culture remains the same across generations.
d.
Culture applies to large groups only.
66. When studying abroad, Shelby talks about racial categories in the United States.
Her new friends from other countries are surprised and say that racial categories
based on visible differences such as skin color are different in their countries.
Shelby remembers from her anthropology class that racial categorization can be
explained by
a.
biological differences between groups.
b.
genetic variations between groups.
c.
language differences between groups.
d.
people’s mental maps of reality.
67. In many European and Latin American cultures, people commonly greet one
another with a kiss on the cheek. In the United States, people may be more likely
to greet one another with a hug or a handshake. An anthropologist would call these
_____ actions, in that they communicate meaning in context.
a.
symbolic
b.
agency
c.
value
d.
power
68. Ten-year-old Davi is getting dressed to go to a wedding at a synagogue. When his
parents see that he’s wearing jeans and a T-shirt, they tell him that he needs to
wear a suit instead. What are Davi’s parents teaching him?
a.
the Jewish religion
b.
norms
c.
mental maps of reality
d.
ethnicity
69. Ideas or rules about how people should behave in particular situations or toward
certain other people are considered
a.
beliefs.
b.
meanings.
c.
norms.
d.
values.
70. Which of the following is one of the four elements of culture that an anthropologist
considers when attempting to understand its complex workings?
a.
symbols
b.
individualism
c.
ethnicity
d.
the human microbiome
71. The parents of a young American couple expect them to have a traditional
wedding, but the bride wants a rainbow-colored dress and the groom wants a close
female friend to be his “best man.” What does this reveal about culture?
a.
It is static and reproduced from one generation to another without change.
b.
It can be contested by people living within a particular cultural setting.
c.
It is genetically inherited.
d.
It is unique to humans.
72. Humans learn culture from the people and cultural institutions that surround them.
When does this learning occur?
a.
primarily in early childhood
b.
throughout their entire lives
c.
primarily when in cultural institutions such as schools
d.
generally from toddlerhood through early adulthood
73. Sitting in your anthropology class helps you learn about culture through formal
instruction. You can also learn about culture informally, through interactions with
family, friends, and the media. What is this process called?
a.
hegemony
b.
the interpretivist approach
c.
structural functionalism
d.
enculturation
74. What is one key aspect in how we understand the idea of culture?
a.
Humans inherit culture genetically from their parents.
b.
The process of social learning is unique to humans.
c.
Humans learn culture primarily during childhood.
d.
Humans are constantly learning culture over the life span.
75. Following the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, survivors and
students organized to
a.
defend gun rights with support from the National Rifle Association.
b.
push the U.S. Congress to pass assault weapon bans.
c.
demand the Florida legislature require background checks for gun
purchases.
d.
raise awareness of the mental illness that inspires these mass shooters’
actions.
Answer Key
chapter 2
