Anthropology

Study of mankind or humanity

Features
Broad scope
Holistic
Uses comparative methods
Deals with relativism
Emic perspective
Etic perspective
Has a micro focus
Uses multiple methods of research
Interviews
Focus group discussions
Participant observation
Branches
Physical anthropology
Socio-cultural anthropology
Linguistic anthropology
Archeological anthropology
Applied anthropology
Theories of Anthropology
Evolutionary theory
Diffusionist
Sociological
Functionalist
Marxist
Cultural materialism
Structuralism
Ethnographies

Record of materials that anthropologist put together, documented materials

from anthropologists. One who does the ethnographies is called an
ethnologist. Usually look at the differences and similarities between cultures
and record them
Social Anthropology
Concerned with the social and cultural dimensions of living people describing
and analyzing their lives and traditions
Nature of Social Anthropology and Communication
Anthropology and communication both deal with society and human nature
Both use practical and empirical methods to understand society (observation,
participant obs. focus group discussion
Culture and Society
E. B. Tyler defines culture as that complex whole which includes knowledge,
belief, morality, law, customs and any other capabilities acquired by man as a
member of society.
3 groups of anthropologists with various definitions
Group 1 say culture is all embracive, including society meaning culture and
society are one (Branislow, Malinowski)
Group 2 draw a difference between culture and society (dichotomy) therefore
culture is different from society (Radcliffe Brown and Evans Pritchard)
Group 3 dont really see whether there is a difference or they are the same.
Society and culture are two social realities existing in the society. They are in
support of both the 1st and 2nd group (Levi-Strauss)
Culture is difficult to define
Human beings that make up culture come from different backgrounds
with differences
There is a lot of misconception about the world culture
Material culture can be touched
Immaterial culture cannot be touched
Basic Characteristics of Culture
It is learned
It is socially transmitted and shared
It is cumulative
It is dynamic

It is symbolic
Components/Divisions/Aspects of Culture
3 Components
Material Culture
Cognitive Culture
Normative Culture
Ethnocentricism - Tendency of one to assume superiority of his culture
over others and to view the world for perspective of ones own culture
Culture Relativism Process of understanding the behaviours of people
from the perspective of their own culture
Cultural Integration
Degree of harmonious interrelatedness of various elements of culture
Cultural Universal
They are aspects of culture that appears in all other cultures
Cultural Shock
Strong feeling of disorientation or stress that often accompany ones
feeling when he/she comes into contact with another culture
Cultural Lag
Refers to the failure/slowness of cultural values to adapt to social
change
Processes of Cultural Change
Innovation Diffusion