1. Anthropology is the study of:

A) Ancient civilizations
B) Human biology and evolution
C) Human societies and cultures
D) Geological formations
Answer: C) Human societies and cultures

2. Which subfield of anthropology focuses on the study of human biological evolution and variation?

A) Cultural anthropology
B) Archaeology
C) Biological (or physical) anthropology
D) Linguistic anthropology
Answer: C) Biological (or physical) anthropology

3. The term “ethnography” refers to:

A) The study of ancient artifacts
B) A detailed study of a particular culture or society
C) The reconstruction of past human societies
D) The study of language and communication
Answer: B) A detailed study of a particular culture or society

4. Cultural anthropology emphasizes the study of:

A) Human language and communication
B) Material remains of past societies
C) Patterns of human behavior and belief systems
D) Human biological evolution
Answer: C) Patterns of human behavior and belief systems

5. Which anthropologist is known for developing the concept of cultural relativism?

A) Margaret Mead
B) Franz Boas
C) Bronislaw Malinowski
D) Claude Lévi-Strauss
Answer: B) Franz Boas

6. Archaeology primarily studies:

A) Human genetic variation
B) Contemporary human societies
C) Ancient cultures through material remains
D) Linguistic diversity
Answer: C) Ancient cultures through material remains

7. The term “hominid” refers to:

A) Modern humans and their immediate ancestors
B) Ancient ape species
C) Fossilized plant remains
D) Early agricultural societies
Answer: A) Modern humans and their immediate ancestors

8. Cultural evolution refers to:

A) Genetic changes in human populations over time
B) Changes in human societies and cultures over generations
C) The study of ancient artifacts and technologies
D) Patterns of migration and settlement
Answer: B) Changes in human societies and cultures over generations

9. Which anthropological approach focuses on understanding the role of symbols and meanings in human behavior?

A) Structural functionalism
B) Symbolic anthropology
C) Cultural materialism
D) Postmodernism
Answer: B) Symbolic anthropology

10. The concept of “cultural materialism” was developed by:

A) Clifford Geertz
B) Marvin Harris
C) Mary Douglas
D) Edward Tylor
Answer: B) Marvin Harris

11. Which perspective in anthropology emphasizes the interrelationship between culture and environment?

A) Cultural ecology
B) Structuralism
C) Postcolonialism
D) Feminist anthropology
Answer: A) Cultural ecology

12. The term “participant observation” refers to:

A) Conducting surveys and interviews in a community
B) Immersing oneself in a culture to observe and participate in daily life
C) Analyzing ancient artifacts in a laboratory setting
D) Documenting oral histories of indigenous peoples
Answer: B) Immersing oneself in a culture to observe and participate in daily life

13. Which anthropologist is associated with the concept of “thick description”?

A) Clifford Geertz
B) Ruth Benedict
C) Margaret Mead
D) Marshall Sahlins
Answer: A) Clifford Geertz

14. The concept of “cultural relativism” suggests that:

A) All cultures share similar beliefs and values
B) Cultural practices should be understood within their own cultural context
C) Some cultures are superior to others
D) Cultural change is inevitable over time
Answer: B) Cultural practices should be understood within their own cultural context

15. Which perspective in anthropology would focus on studying the impact of colonialism on indigenous cultures?

A) Structuralism
B) Postcolonialism
C) Functionalism
D) Evolutionism
Answer: B) Postcolonialism

16. The term “agency” in anthropology refers to:

A) The capacity of individuals to act independently and make their own choices
B) Government organizations that support cultural preservation
C) Traditional rituals performed by indigenous communities
D) The study of ancient trade networks
Answer: A) The capacity of individuals to act independently and make their own choices

17. Which anthropological perspective would emphasize the role of gender and power dynamics in shaping cultural practices?

A) Feminist anthropology
B) Structural functionalism
C) Evolutionism
D) Postmodernism
Answer: A) Feminist anthropology

18. The concept of “cultural hegemony” refers to:

A) The dominance of one culture over others through ideology and power
B) The spread of cultural traits through globalization
C) Cultural adaptation in response to environmental changes
D) The preservation of traditional cultural practices
Answer: A) The dominance of one culture over others through ideology and power

19. The term “kinship” in anthropology refers to:

A) Cultural beliefs about the afterlife
B) Social relationships based on biological or marital ties
C) Economic systems within ancient societies
D) Ritual practices related to agricultural cycles
Answer: B) Social relationships based on biological or marital ties

20. Which anthropologist is known for studying the concept of “mana” in Pacific Island cultures?

A) Bronislaw Malinowski
B) Margaret Mead
C) Claude Lévi-Strauss
D) Marcel Mauss
Answer: A) Bronislaw Malinowski

21. The term “ethnocentrism” refers to:

A) Understanding cultural practices within their own context
B) Judging other cultures by the standards of one’s own culture
C) Celebrating cultural diversity through festivals and rituals
D) Studying linguistic diversity across different regions
Answer: B) Judging other cultures by the standards of one’s own culture

22. Which anthropological approach would focus on understanding how cultural practices contribute to social stability and cohesion?

A) Cultural materialism
B) Structural functionalism
C) Symbolic anthropology
D) Postmodernism
Answer: B) Structural functionalism

23. The concept of “cultural relativism” is closely associated with:

A) Ruth Benedict
B) Claude Lévi-Strauss
C) Edward Sapir
D) Lewis Henry Morgan
Answer: A) Ruth Benedict

24. The term “globalization” refers to:

A) The spread of cultural traits and economic activities across the world
B) The process of archaeological excavation and analysis
C) The study of linguistic diversity in global contexts
D) The preservation of traditional knowledge and practices
Answer: A) The spread of cultural traits and economic activities across the world

25. Which anthropological perspective would emphasize the importance of storytelling and oral traditions in preserving cultural heritage?

A) Symbolic anthropology
B) Cognitive anthropology
C) Archaeology
D) Ethnography
Answer: A) Symbolic anthropology

26. The term “structuralism” in anthropology refers to:

A) Analyzing cultural practices as systems of interconnected parts
B) Documenting ancient trade routes and networks
C) Studying the biological evolution of early hominids
D) Examining linguistic diversity within indigenous communities
Answer: A) Analyzing cultural practices as systems of interconnected parts

27. Which perspective in anthropology would emphasize the role of material culture in understanding social relationships and identity?

A) Archaeology
B) Symbolic anthropology
C) Cultural ecology
D) Evolutionism
Answer: A) Archaeology

28. The concept of “colonialism” refers to:

A) The study of ancient civilizations through material remains
B) The process of cultural exchange between indigenous groups
C) The establishment of political control over foreign territories
D) The adaptation of cultural practices to new environments
Answer: C) The establishment of political control over foreign territories

29. Which anthropologist is known for developing the concept of “culture as a system of symbols”?

A) Bronislaw Malinowski
B) Margaret Mead
C) Clifford Geertz
D) Franz Boas
Answer: C) Clifford Geertz

30. The concept of “habitus” in anthropology refers to:

A) Cultural practices that shape daily routines
B) Unconscious patterns of behavior and thought
C) Ritual practices related to agricultural cycles
D) Environmental factors influencing cultural evolution
Answer: B) Unconscious patterns of behavior and thought

31. Which perspective in anthropology would focus on studying the economic systems and subsistence strategies of different cultures?

A) Economic anthropology
B) Feminist anthropology
C) Structural functionalism
D) Postmodernism
Answer: A) Economic anthropology

32. The term “ritual” in anthropology refers to:

A) Economic activities within traditional societies
B) Sacred or symbolic actions performed within a cultural context
C) Linguistic practices and communication patterns
D) Political structures and systems of governance
Answer: B) Sacred or symbolic actions performed within a cultural context

33. The concept of “diffusion” in anthropology refers to:

A) The spread of cultural traits from one society to another
B) The process of linguistic change over time
C) The development of complex societies from simpler forms
D) The study of ancient trade routes and networks
Answer: A) The spread of cultural traits from one society to another

34. Which anthropologist is known for his work on the “modes of production” in different societies?

A) Max Weber
B) Karl Marx
C) Franz Boas
D) Edward Burnett Tylor
Answer: B) Karl Marx

35. The term “liminality” in anthropology refers to:

A) The transitional phase in a rite of passage
B) The boundary between different cultural regions
C) The study of linguistic diversity across cultures
D) The process of cultural adaptation to new environments
Answer: A) The transitional phase in a rite of passage

More Anthropology MCQs