According to Clifford Geertz, when one person winks at another, the symbolic meaning of the wink depends on the situation, the relationship between the people, and their ability to understand what is being communicated. This involves deep cultural knowledge. Hence, to fully understand the symbolic meaning of the wink, the anthropologist should use a perspective of

historical particularism.
unilineal cultural evolution.
the interpretivist approach.
structural functionalism.


the interpretivist approach

Anthropology & Archaeology

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Some sort of complex division of labor and centralized political organization is necessary for the appearance of markets

a. True b. False Indicate whether the statement is true or false

Anthropology & Archaeology

Which of the following describes the form of culture change known as diffusion?

A) Many of the foods we eat, such as pasta and chicken, were introduced to us through contact with different cultures around the world. B) James Hargreaves developed the spinning jenny to increase the efficiency of textile manufacture during the Industrial Revolution. C) Your parents teach you the proper way to speak to your elders. D) Medical experiments and discoveries lead to the cure for an epidemic disease such as polio.

Anthropology & Archaeology

What is the term for the marital exchange in which the bride's family or kin group provides substantial gifts when their daughter marries?

A. polygamy B. bridewealth C. dowry D. progeny price E. brideservice

Anthropology & Archaeology

What did a study of single mothers in California find about the consistency of parenting conventions?

A) Single mothers were more likely to see themselves as “unconventional” parents. B) So-called “unconventional” parents did not differ that much from the more “conventional” ones. C) Single mothers were more likely to follow traditional childrearing methods. D) “Unconventional” parents used methods that were very divergent from the general cultural pattern.

Anthropology & Archaeology