Introduction to Anthropology, Sociology, Political Science, and Culture

Vocabulary flashcards covering foundational terms and theories in anthropology, sociology, political science, and cultural studies.

Anthropology

Systematic study of the biological, cultural, and social aspects of humans across time and space.

Franz Boas

Father of American Anthropology; introduced the theory of Cultural Relativism.

Cultural Relativism

Principle that morals, values, and behaviors must be understood within their cultural context.

Ethnocentrism

Tendency to judge other cultures by the standards of one’s own culture.

Social Anthropology

Branch of anthropology that examines how people live in societies and make life meaningful.

Bronislaw Malinowski

Anthropologist known for Functionalism, emphasizing the role of cultural functions in social life.

Functionalism (Anthropology)

Theory that social and cultural practices serve important functions for societal stability.

Linguistic Anthropology

Study of language’s role in the social lives of individuals and communities.

Biological Anthropology

Study of human origins and biological variation in relation to social factors.

Archaeological Anthropology

Study of past humans and cultures through material remains.

Sociology

Social science focused on human behavior, social relationships, and patterns of social change.

Auguste Comte

Father of Sociology; developed the Theory of Positivism.

Positivism

Philosophy asserting that true knowledge is derived from scientific inquiry and empirical evidence.

Theological Stage

First stage of Positivism where supernatural explanations dominate social understanding.

Fetishism

Belief that objects possess living spirits; sub-stage of the Theological Stage.

Polytheism

Belief in many gods; sub-stage of the Theological Stage.

Monotheism

Belief in a single god; sub-stage of the Theological Stage.

Metaphysical Stage

Positivism stage attributing events to abstract forces like nature or destiny.

Positive Stage

Final Positivism stage where scientific method explains social phenomena.

Karl Marx

Philosopher whose Marxism critiques class systems and promotes communism.

Marxism

Theory analyzing class struggle and advocating for a classless society.

Political Science

Discipline studying power, governance, and collective decision-making in society.

Society

Group of people sharing a defined territory and common culture.

Structural Functionalism

Theory that social order arises from cooperation and interdependence of parts of society.

Conflict Theory

Perspective emphasizing inequality, power struggles, and competition over limited resources.

Symbolic Interactionism

Approach focusing on meaning-making through social interactions and symbols.

Culture (Sociological View)

Social product that is transmitted, varies by society, and guides behavior.

Culture (Anthropological View)

Symbolic, systemic, shared, and potentially contested set of meanings and practices.

Symbols

Objects or signs used to stand for and convey cultural meaning.

Language

‘Storehouse’ of culture enabling verbal and non-verbal communication.

Values

Culturally defined standards of what is good, desirable, or proper.

Beliefs

Convictions or faith held by individuals about what is true.

Norms

Shared rules guiding behavior within a society.

Proscriptive Norm

Norm that specifies behaviors one must not do.

Prescriptive Norm

Norm that specifies behaviors one should do.

Folkways

Everyday norms followed for tradition or convenience.

Mores

Strict norms governing moral and ethical behavior.

Laws

Formal norms codified and enforced by official agencies.

Material Culture

Tangible physical objects created and used by a society.

Non-Material Culture

Intangible ideas, beliefs, and values of a culture.

Imitation

Learning cultural traits by copying others’ behaviors.

Indoctrination/Suggestion

Formal or informal teaching of cultural values and norms.

Parallelism

Independent development of similar cultural traits in different societies.

Diffusion

Spread of cultural traits from one society to another.

Convergence

Fusion of two or more cultures into a new blended culture.

Fission

Splitting from an original culture to form a distinct new culture.

Acculturation

Mutual cultural change resulting from direct contact between societies.

Assimilation

Adoption of the dominant society’s culture by a smaller group.

Xenocentrism

Belief that one’s own culture is inferior to others.

Discovery

Finding new knowledge that can alter cultural practices.

Invention

Creation of new ideas or objects that transform culture.

Colonization

Establishment of control over another territory and its people.

Rebellion/Revolution

Collective action aiming to overhaul social order and leadership.