Talk:Cultural Anthropology/Anthropological Methods

=1 Origins of Ethnography= o 1.1 Ethnographic Analogy o 1.2 Effect of Capitalism and Colonialism Paluckk (talk) 06:30, 30 April 2009 (UTC)Cultural bias towards Western Europe and blatantly biased and offensive phrasing used in prior edit. "Wasted" is neither academic english, nor is it appropriate for discussing the millions of lives lost due to Western Imperialism.--

Added link to assimilation page, more specifically cultural assimilation --Johnson8811 Added link to colonization page --Johnson8811 o 1.3 Human Cultural Variation o 1.4 The Biology of Human Variation

=2 Fieldwork Methods= o 2.1 Observational Methods o 2.2 Interviews and Questionnaires o 2.3 Participant Observation o 2.4 Reflexivity

In Fieldwork Methods / Reflexivity, changed affect (verb) to effect (noun) which I assume was the author's intention --Johnson8811

In Fieldwork Methods / Reflexivity, I changed the existing sentence structure so that it was easier to read because it seemed hard to follow. I deleted some repeated words to minimize confusion. I then added an example of how we can use reflexivity in our everyday lives. Petkec (talk) 21:06, 21 April 2009 (UTC)

should this really be cut
"This can make or break the relations, which is exemplified in the article, Eating Christmas in the Kalahari, where Richard Borshay Lee was in a position of power but to keep his research untainted he felt it "was essential to not provide them with food" Observational studying was a very common form of fieldwork during the first half of the 20th century before more progressive and participatory methods became popular. This method uses an eticperspective to simply observe the facts of cultures.

o 2.5 Life Histories In Fieldwork Methods / Life Histories, I changed the existing example about Native Americans to a more recent example that explained the use of documenting life history and how it is used in Anthropology today. Petkec (talk) 21:09, 21 April 2009 (UTC)

In Fieldwork Mothods / Life Histories, I changed the example to one that involved prostitution and addiction, which i believe shows the uses of Life Histories more accurately - Goodwij6

o 2.6 Participatory Approach + 2.6.1 Participatory Action Research In 2.1 I added an example of an observational field study that might make it a little clearer how observation alone can bring about a negative Kinserj (talk) 03:19, 23 April 2009 (UTC)

=3 Types of Analysis= o 3.1 Qualitative vs. Quantitative Analysis o 3.2 Positivist Approach o 3.3 Ethnographic Analysis o 3.4 Domain analysis o 3.5 Taxonomic Analysis Added taxonomic analysis --Johnson8811 added to taxonomic analysis to give it more information. --Gallot (talk) 04:59, 29 April 2009 (UTC)]

= 4 References=

On Reflexivity: Turned bold to a Wiki link, made small grammar change. --Strickh (talk) 05:32, 9 March 2009 (UTC)strickh

On Reflexivity: Made a small grammer change. --Chandler5416

Under Fieldwork Methods I just added a link to terms emic and etic to help define their meanings in more depth. --Grotjahn2975 (talk) 21:52, 9 March 2009 (UTC)

Field work Methods: I changed the beginnings of a couple of the paragraphs so they were not all starting the same way.

I edited Origins of Ethnography to clarify the content and correct grammatical errors. Holmesa2

Edited the capitalism and colonialism section a little bit for grammar. Also added the portion about mercantilism. --Whitcomb5739 (talk) 06:30, 10 March 2009 (UTC)

Use this section to propose key terms from this chapter that can be included in the text Glossary. If you plan to implement edits associated with this key term, please claim it here with your username, or signature of four tildes ( ~ ). Paul James (discuss • contribs) 22:15, 27 October 2017 (UTC)

Armchair anthropologist: first kind of anthropologists that used secondhand information to study cultures that they had never visited and were foreign to them.

Dialect: the information and dialogue between anthropologist and the people they study.

Participant observation: method of collecting data about a culture in which an anthropologist participates in an activity specific to the culture being studied.

Domain analysis: anthropologists work to understand how persons and cultures see certain objects.

Human variation: result of gene recombination during sexual reproduction.

Methodology: series of systems and methods used in particular ways to study and research. Cline: genetic variation between populations isolated in their reproduction.

Natural Selection: A theory by Charles Darwin which states that species and organisms evolve over generations based on their environment to help pass their genes on.

Evolution: The theory that species and organisms change over time.

Race: Groups of people that have certain characteristics in common.

Focus Group: A diverse group of people from the same society or culture that talk about their thoughts and feelings on different topics so that Anthropologists can get multiple perspectives on those topics.

Ethnography: A description of a culture’s or individual’s customs based on fieldwork.

Culture: The arts, beliefs, customs, and behaviors that characterize a group of people.

Equatorial: At or near the equator.

Unilineal: Tracing descent through maternal or paternal parent.

Etic: Studying a subject as an outsider.

Judgement Sampling: Key informant selection

Ruth Mace: Anthropologist and biologist who specializes in evolutionary ecology of human demography.

Action anthropology: Research in which the goal of a researcher's involvement in a community is to help make social change.

Ethnohistory: The study of cultural change in societies and periods for which the community had no written histories or historical documents, usually relying heavily on oral history for data. Ethnohistory may also refer to a view of history from the native's point of view, which often differs from an outsider's view.

Field notes: Any information that the anthropologist writes down or transcribes during fieldwork.

Genealogical method: A systematic methodology for recording kinship relations and how kin terms are used in different societies.

Headnotes: The mental notes an anthropologist makes while in the field, which may or may not end up in formal field notes or journals.

Human Relations Area Files (HRAF): A comparative anthropological database that allows easy reference to coded information about several hundred cultural traits for more than 150 societies. The HRAF allows statistical analysis of the relationship between the presence of one trait and the occurrence of other traits.

Informant: Any person an anthropologist gets data from in the study community, especially people interviewed or who provide information about what they have observed or heard.

Intersubjectivity: The realization that knowledge about other people emerges out of people's relationships with and perceptions of each other.

Interview: Any systematic conversation with an informant to collect field research data, ranging from a highly structured set of questions to the most open-ended ones.

Life history: Any survey of an informant's life, including such topics as residence, occupation, marriage, family, and difficulties, usually collected to reveal patterns that cannot be observed today.

Open-ended interview: Any conversation with an informant in which the researcher allows the informant to take the conversation to related topics that the informant rather than the researcher feels are important.

Gesture- movements of hand/body communicates attention and intention to provide cultural meaning Cline- the changing of species over time. Ethnography- the study of human culture and descriptive individual cultures. Phenomena- a culture that is observable Taxonomic- the way anthropologists classify groups of people or things Culminate- when someone reaches the max amount of development Observer affect- the effect of the observer being present that may change the way the subject acts. Enculturated- changing and adapting from experience, observation, and learning Horticulture- farming of a garden of plants, vegetables, and flowers Hegemony- when one nation has a dominant influence over another nation or culture. Globalization – the idea of a fusion of a various culture in a large community that shares Political/ Economical/ Social and Cultural behaviors Cultural imperialism- cultural domination of a peculiar culture (often Western) on another (often Eastern). The idea that a culture is more important than another. Intertachion- reciprocity of actions of two elements. --Asuver206 (discuss • contribs) 02:43, 7 December 2017 (UTC)

Cline: Genetic variation between population of species that are isolated in their reproduction in a series of biocommunties have continuous gradient. Dialectic: Is when in talking through dialogue there is information passed both ways between the people. Triangulation Method: Ways of investigating one thing through multiple perspectives. Domain Analysis: a symbolic category that includes in their categories. Taxonomic Analysis: A tactic used organization of plant and animal species by trying to understand what make something part of a certain domain. Market Culture: Based on the assumption that life can be made better by buying stuff Focus Group: A demographically diverse group of people assembled to participate in a guided discussion about a particular thing before it is released. Bias: Prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually unfair. Rapport- A close and harmonious relationship in which the group that understand each other's feelings or idea and can communicate well. Systematic Comparison: having, showing, or involving a system, method or plan. Ontogeny: History of the developmental single organism. Hierarchical: Natural hierarchy in a group. Impoverished: An extremely poor and run-down area of people. --Stoddao (discuss • contribs) 02:48, 7 December 2017 (UTC)

Cline: Genetic variation between different populations of species that are isolated in their reproduction. Cosmopolitanism: The ability to be mentally flexible with different cultures and countries and keep an open mind. Bias: Prejudice towards someone or something in an unfair way. Reflexive: Turning back on oneself in reflection. Qualitative: Data that is measured by its quality or kind. Diaspora: Forced immigration of a population who all share a common ethnic identity. Taxonomic: The study of the general principles of scientific classification. Unilineal: Tracing the decent of someone by either the maternal or paternal line only. Methodology: Set list of methods, rules or procedure(s) established by a particular discipline. Rapport: A close relationship between a subject and researcher in which there is harmonious trust, understanding each other's feelings and/or ideas through communication. Ethnocentrism: The sense that one's own way of life or culture is natural, superior or correct. Dialect: A language or form of language that is specific to a group of people. Enculturation: The process in which an individual learn the necessary values and behaviors of their culture. -- Lydia Rolfes

Dialectic: The exchanging of information and viewpoints between two people that each bring a different perspective to the conversation. The flow of communication is open and reflexive to each individual.

Cultural Evolution: Human culture changes over time as a result of the passing of information from one culture to another, creating more opportunity for a globally connected world.

Intrinsic: Vital part of whole system, the importance of the process.

Cline: Genetic variations within a species that is isolated in growth (not intermixing with other species/genetic variations).

Horticulture: The science of growing produce, flowers and ornamental plants.

Cosmopolitanism: The ability to blend in with multiple cultures for the sake of conversation, participation or observation. Feeling comfortable in places of culture different than your own.

Pastoralism: The branch of agriculture focused on raising livestock for mass production of animal products. Involves the raising, caring for, and using of the animals in various ways.

Tourism: Traveling to a culture or country other than your own purely for recreational or leisure purposes. With no intent to stay in that culture or country, the tourists simply observe and leave after their visit is over.

Cultural Imperialism: The imposition of one culture’s viewpoints and systems into another. May be mutually beneficial or harmful to one culture.

Post-National Ethos: A people submit to the governmentally of a nation, state or culture while surrendering some luxuries or benefits of life (i.e. visiting family close by, etc).

Linguistic Relativity: idea that people speaking different languages perceive or interpret the world differently because of differences in their languages.

Phonology: The structure of speech sounds

Cognates: words in two or more languages that may sound somewhat different today but would have changed systemically from the same word.

Syntax: how words are strung together to form sentences and more complex utterances (i.e. paragraphs). Ninaemily (discuss • contribs) 03:45, 13 December 2017 (UTC) -- Emily Nina

Natural Selection - Natural factors of an organism that evolve into them through generations of "picking away" at undesirable features. Ethnography - A case study of a culture made by the researcher immersing themself in said culture. tharvey2 Observational Method - Observation of a culture from the "outside"; Research without intrusion. Reflexivity (abilities/fieldwork) - An anthropologist's awareness that their personal view can paint how they can record their findings; the ability to take steps to prevent one's own personal bias from painting their findings. Dialectic/Dialogue - "Friendly"/open dialogue between a research subject and the researcher, encouraging more "natural" discussion of subjects.