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Anthropological Theorists Trivia Quiz

Anthropology is based upon theory. Without a theoretical basis to rest one's research upon, findings are merely collections of exotic ethnographic accounts.

A multiple-choice quiz by Leki. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
Leki

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
91,481

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
1404

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. These 19th century theorists held that there was a biblical cause for societal variations. Hint

Progressivists

Naturalists

Evolutionists

Degenerationists

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Question 2 of 10

2. John Locke was a proponent of this theory, especially popular in the 19th century, which states that all human beings start out in a primitive state, and are advancing towards a more advanced state. Hint

Individualism

Degenerationism

Progressivism

Naturism

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Question 3 of 10

3. This 19th century theorist coined the term "survival of the fittest" Hint

Darwin

Spencer

Tylor

Morgan

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Question 4 of 10

4. This evolutionist added "savagery, barbarism, and civilization" to the repertoire of anthropological terms. Hint

Sir James Frazer

Lewis Henry Morgan

Friedrich Engels

Edward Burnett Tylor

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Question 5 of 10

5. This nephew of famed sociologist Emile Durkheim postulated that gift-giving in society reflects the society's underlying social structure: Hint

Max Weber

A.R. Radcliffe-Brown

Marcel Mauss

Bronislaw Malinowski

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Question 6 of 10

6. This man, deemed the father of American anthropology, pioneered a method of research known as Historical Particularism: Hint

John Wesley Powell

Franz Boas

Otis Mason

Frank Cushing

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Question 7 of 10

7. This functionalist believed that culture existed to satisfy seven basic needs of humans: nutrition, reproduction, comforts, safety, relaxation, growth, and movement. Hint

Malinowski

Spencer

Radcliffe-Brown

Haddon

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Question 8 of 10

8. This anthropologist belonged to the Culture and Personality school, and was greatly influenced by Gestalt psychology. Hint

all entries are correct

Margaret Mead

Ruth Benedict

Abram Kardiner

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Question 9 of 10

9. Julian Steward labelled his study of multilinear evolution: Hint

advancementism

neoevolutionism

cultural ecology

functionalism

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Question 10 of 10

10. This man almost single-handedly founded the modern field of structuralism: Hint

John Wesley Powell

Emile Durkheim

Claude Levi-Strauss

Abram Kardiner

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. These 19th century theorists held that there was a biblical cause for societal variations.

Answer: Degenerationists

According to Degenerationism, prior to the destruction of the Tower of Babel all people were of one social group. Following God's destruction of the tower, the single human society split into various groups. Some degenerated, losing their "civilized" ways, and became savages. (not too PC I must say...)

Answer: Progressivism

John Locke proposed that the human mind was a blank slate, with knowledge and reason being derived from experience. As a result, individuals growing up in different societies would have varied experiences. This would explain the differences between human societies.

3. This 19th century theorist coined the term "survival of the fittest"

Answer: Spencer

Herbert Spencer was very interested in evolution, and applied Darwin's concepts to human societies. His organic analogy of human society linked biological and social evolution. Spencer considered Darwin's work as supporting his own, and it was Spencer, not Darwin as widely thought, that coined the famous term "survival of the fittest".

4. This evolutionist added "savagery, barbarism, and civilization" to the repertoire of anthropological terms.

Answer: Lewis Henry Morgan

Morgan believed there were universal evolutionary stages of cultural development marking the transition from primitive to complex. All societies, according to Morgan, progressed through savagry, barbarism, and civilization. Because of these beliefs, Morgan is considered to be a unilinear evolutionist.

5. This nephew of famed sociologist Emile Durkheim postulated that gift-giving in society reflects the society's underlying social structure:

Answer: Marcel Mauss

Gifts, according to Mauss, are material expressions of the social and behavioral rules that are inherent within a society. Gift exchanges forge and maintain social alliances, and increase social solidarity.

6. This man, deemed the father of American anthropology, pioneered a method of research known as Historical Particularism:

Answer: Franz Boas

Boas brought a rigorous approach to ethnographic fieldwork. He emphasized careful collection of ethnographic data and rejected comparisons between societies. He adamantly refuted unilinear evolutionist theory by clearly showing that it was possible for similar characteristics to come about through very different processes.

7. This functionalist believed that culture existed to satisfy seven basic needs of humans: nutrition, reproduction, comforts, safety, relaxation, growth, and movement.

Answer: Malinowski

Malinowski was concerned with how individuals satisfied their own basic needs within the constraints of their society. He believed that cultural institutions function to meet the needs of individuals in society.

8. This anthropologist belonged to the Culture and Personality school, and was greatly influenced by Gestalt psychology.

Answer: all entries are correct

All these anthropologists examined how humans acquired culture. As well, they looked at culture's relationship to individual personality. Three broad themes are apparent in the personality school: the relationship between culture and human nature (Mead), culture and individual personality (Benedict), and culture and a society's typical personality type (Kardiner).

9. Julian Steward labelled his study of multilinear evolution:

Answer: cultural ecology

Steward's cultural ecology is the examination of the cultural adaptations of humans to their environment. Culture is seen as an evolutionary adaptation to the environment.

10. This man almost single-handedly founded the modern field of structuralism:

Answer: Claude Levi-Strauss

Strauss proposed that anthropologists should not study how people categorize their world, but should look at the underlying patterns of human thought that produce these categories.

Source: Author Leki

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor thejazzkickazz before going online.
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