NTA UGC NET/JRF Exam, June 2023 (Anthropology)

Total Questions: 100

11. Arrange the following cultural evolutionary approaches in ascending order from earliest to latest:

(a) Multilinear evolution
(b) General and Specific evolution
(c) Energy theory of evolution
(d) Unilinear evolution
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Correct Answer: B. (d), (a), (c), (b)
Solution:The correct chronological order of cultural evolutionary approaches from earliest to latest is Unilinear evolution, Multilinear evolution, Energy theory of evolution, and General and Specific evolution.

Unilinear evolution was an early approach that suggested all societies progress through the same stages of development. Multilinear evolution followed, recognizing multiple pathways of cultural evolution. The Energy theory of evolution came later, emphasizing the role of energy control in cultural development. Finally, General and Specific evolution synthesized previous ideas, differentiating between broad patterns and particular adaptations. Hence, the ascending order is (d), (a), (c), (b).

12. Which of the following aspects is considered as the key to understand cultural variations in personality by Margaret Mead?

Correct Answer: D. Enculturation
Solution:Margaret Mead considered enculturation, the process by which individuals learn the culture of their society, as key to understanding cultural variations in personality. Enculturation shapes individuals' values, beliefs, and behaviors, leading to different personality traits across cultures.

Mead's studies, particularly in Samoa and New Guinea, highlighted how cultural upbringing influences personality development. Other aspects like gender relations, temperament, and the relationship between culture and ecology also affect personality, but Mead emphasized enculturation as the primary mechanism.

13. An ego-centred sets of kin who may be called together temporarily for some purpose is known as:

Correct Answer: D. Kindred
Solution:In kinship terminology, a kindred refers to an ego-centered set of kin who may be called together temporarily for specific purposes, such as social gatherings, ceremonies, or problem-solving.

Unlike descent groups, which are based on common ancestry and have a more permanent structure, kindred is fluid and defined by the individual's specific relationships. Affinal kin are relatives by marriage, and ambilineal kin are those who can trace descent through either parent, but they do not describe the temporary, ego-centered nature of a kindred.

14. Which of the following are features of Levi Strauss structuralism approach?

(a) It focused on working of human mind
(b) It related with universals of human culture
(c) It related with collective conscious
(d) It was a diachronic approach
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Correct Answer: A. (a) and (b) only
Solution:The features of Levi-Strauss's 15. structuralism. approach that are relevant here include focusing on the working of the human mind and its relation to universals of human culture. Levi-Strauss believed that the structures of the human mind shape all cultural expressions and that these structures are universal across different cultures.

He sought to uncover these universal patterns through his analysis of myths, kinship, and other cultural phenomena. However, structuralism does not specifically relate to the collective conscious in the way Jungian psychology does, nor is it a diachronic approach as it focuses on the synchronic (at one point in time) rather than the historical development of cultures.

Therefore, the correct features of LeviStrauss's structuralism are its focus on the workings of the human mind and universals of human culture.

15. Biological fitness of a population:

(a) is measured in terms of working capacity of the population
(b) may change or vary from one generation to another
(c) is measured in terms of growth pattern of the population
(d) is measured in terms of reproductive success
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Correct Answer: B. (b) and (d) only
Solution:Biological fitness is often measured in terms of reproductive success, which refers to the ability to pass on genes to the next generation. It may vary from one generation to another, reflecting changes in environmental conditions or genetic makeup.

While working capacity and growth patterns are important aspects of biological fitness, they are not the primary measures. Therefore, the correct measures of biological fitness are reproductive success and its variability across generations.

16. The ethnography of speaking, which is 21. concerned with culture and sub-cultural patterns of speaking in different social context is known as:

Correct Answer: C. Sociolinguistics
Solution:The ethnography of speaking, which examines cultural and sub-cultural patterns of speaking in different social contexts, is  known as sociolinguistics. This field studies how language use varies according to social factors such as ethnicity, gender, age, and social class.

Descriptive linguistics focuses on describing language structures, historical linguistics on language change over time, and structural linguistics on language as a system of signs, but sociolinguistics specifically addresses the cultural and social aspects of language use.

17. Apes are characterized by:

Correct Answer: B. Absence of tail
Solution:Apes are characterized by the absence of a tail, distinguishing them from other primates like monkeys, which have tails. Apes, including humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans, have large cranial cavities, erect postures, and no prehensile tails, which are features of some New World monkeys. The absence of a tail is a key characteristic that helps differentiate apes from other primates.

18. ABO blood group as a variable is measured in:

Correct Answer: C. Nominal scale
Solution:The ABO blood group is measured on a nominal scale, which classifies data into distinct categories without any inherent order. The categories (A, B, AB, and O) represent different blood types but do not imply any quantitative difference or ranking.

Ordinal scales rank data, ratio scales have a true zero point and allow for mathematical operations, and interval scales measure differences between values, but the nominal scale is appropriate for classifying blood types.

19. Identify the correct cephalo-caudal sequence of the bones of human skeleton:

(a) Skull
(b) Sternum
(c) Pelvis
(d) Tibia
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Correct Answer: A. (a), (b), (c), (d)
Solution:The cephalo-caudal sequence of bones in the human skeleton starts from the head and moves downwards. Thus, the correct order is Skull, Sternum, Pelvis, and Tibia.

This sequence follows the natural anatomical arrangement from the head to the lower limbs, accurately reflecting the positional relationships of these bones in the body.

Hence, the correct sequence is (a), (b), (c), (d).

20. Match List-I with List-II

LIST-ILIST-II
(a) Pig FeastI. Potlatch
(b) NumaymII. Kula Ring
(c) Shell NecklaceIII. Jajman
(d) KaminIV. Bigman

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Correct Answer: A.
Solution:The matchig pairs are:

• In some cultures, the pig feast is an important event led by a Bigman, a leader who gains status through generosity.
• Numaym refers to a kinship group involved in the Potlatch, a ceremonial exchange event among Northwest Coast Indigenous peoples.
• The Kula Ring involves the exchange of shell necklaces and armbands in the Trobriand Islands.
• Kamin refers to a role or title in South Asian cultures, often linked to the Jajman system of patron-client relationships.

Hence, the correct answer is (А).