Bronislaw Malinowski found that the Trobriand Islanders used magic when sailing, a hazardous activity. He proposed that

A. magic was a surprisingly effective stand-in for proper fishing skills and experience, because it made people confident in their capabilities.
B. magic emboldened people to take more risks.
C. because people can't control matters such as wind, weather, and the fish supply, they turn to magic.
D. people turn to magic to instill psychological stress on their competitors, especially when the fish supply is very low.
E. magic actually reduced the fishing success of the Trobriand Islanders, but at least they did not feel directly responsible, since then they could blame it on bad luck.


Answer: C

Anthropology & Archaeology

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