Final Exam Study Guide. Anthropology 105C
Exam date: Wednesday December 9th, Kelley Building, Room 211
Chapter 9…
Recognize the value of kinship studies.
Identify and distinguish between the various types of descent systems.
Patrilineal, Matrilineal, Double Descent, Ambilineal
Explain the organization and function of descent groups.
Lineage, Clan, Phratry, Moiety
Identify the major systems of kinship terminology.
Eskimo/Lineal, Hawaiian, Iroquois, Crow, Omaha
Chapter 12…
Explain why religion is a universal system of culture.
Identify and discuss the various forms of religious belief.
Define myth and explain its roles in religious systems.
Identify the different types of ritual and discuss the roles that ritual plays in society.
Compare and contrast the relationship between religion, magic, and witchcraft.
Identify and discuss the functions of religion.
Explain the reasons for revitalization movements.
Chapter 14…
Realize the growing need for anthropologists to work in many diverse fields, such as
business, health, education, the government, and the military.
Understand the demand for anthropologists to work outside academia.
Recall the history of applied anthropology and the major impetus to its development.
Explain the challenges faced by anthropologists in both academic and nonacademic arenas.
Identify the issue of bias as it pertains to nonacademic work.
Discuss the challenges relating to who controls the data produced by the work of
anthropologists, and what use is made of it.
Essay Questions…
1.How does kinship regulate group size in preindustrial cultures? What are other functions of kinship?
2. Understanding kinship systems helps anthropologists understand that these systems shape children’s
personality, determine marriage options, and impact how the aged are cared for. Discuss how members
of a society are a product of the kin structure that is in place in their society. Use examples from your
own experience or the textbook to illustrate.
3. Explain the nature of the belief in animism. What does a religious based in animism look like for a
culture? Can we relate anything in our modern world that parallels this form of religious life?
4. Arnold Van Gennep in 1909 wrote a very important book for the anthropological study of religious
life. What structure do all rituals share? Describe Van Gennep’s theory of ritual structure and provide
examples.
5. How does the culture of the United States differ in its’ diagnosis and treatment of ADHD with the
culture of France? What sorts of cultural practices lead to this vast difference with regards to this
condition?
6. Why are ethical considerations thought to be so important for anthropologists conducting applied
ethnographic research? How might the ethics of applied research differ from academic research?
7. Using examples from class discussion or other sources, explain the concepts of imitative and
contagious magic.
8. What are the similarities and differences between religion and witchcraft?
9. Describe, in words that a non-specialist could understand, one bilateral and one unilineal system of
kinship terminology.
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