Cultural Anthropology Exam Review

These flashcards cover the key concepts, definitions, and terminology from the lecture notes on kinship, religion, cultural definitions, and social structures.

Kinship

A culturally defined system of relationships that organizes social ties, obligations, and descent; not limited to biological connections.

Bilateral kinship

A descent system that recognizes relatives from both the mother’s and father’s sides equally.

Patrilineal

Descent traced through the father’s lineage.

Matrilineal

Descent traced through the mother’s lineage.

Religion

A system of beliefs and practices centered on supernatural forces, beings, or powers.

Supernatural beings

Forces or beings believed to exist beyond the natural world and scientific explanation.

Animism

Belief that souls or spirits animate humans and other living things.

Animatism

Belief in an impersonal supernatural force present in people and nature.

Theism

Belief in one or more gods.

Monotheism

Belief in one god.

Polytheism

Belief in multiple gods.

Ritual

Behavior that is formal, repetitive and structured; performed sincerely as a social act; can be secular or religious.

Rites of passage

Rituals marking changes in life status.

Political systems

A culturally defined system for organizing power, authority, and decision-making.

Egalitarian societies

Societies that emphasize equal access to resources and consensus decision-making.

Nation-states

A political state whose population shares a unified national identity.

Culture

The complex whole including knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, and customs learned by humans as members of society.

Cultural relativism

Understanding cultures on their own terms without judgment.

Social stratification

The ranking of individuals or groups based on unequal access to resources.

Achieved status

Status earned through individual effort.

Ascribed status

Status assigned at birth.

Sex

Biological differences between males and females.

Gender

Cultural roles and expectations associated with sex.

Endogamy

Marriage within one’s social group.

Exogamy

Marriage outside one’s social group.