Comparative method in anthropology MCQs 50 Score: 0 Attempted: 0/50 Subscribe 1. What is the comparative method in anthropology primarily used for? (A) Comparing ancient scripts (B) Analyzing cultural similarities and differences (C) Measuring genetic variation (D) Classifying species 2. Which branch of anthropology most often applies the comparative method? (A) Archaeology (B) Linguistic anthropology (C) Cultural anthropology (D) Forensic anthropology 3. The comparative method involves: (A) Laboratory experiments (B) Cross-cultural analysis (C) DNA sequencing (D) Historical fiction writing 4. Who is considered one of the pioneers of the comparative method in anthropology? (A) Franz Boas (B) BronisĆaw Malinowski (C) Edward B. Tylor (D) Claude LĂ©vi-Strauss 5. The comparative method is essential for identifying: (A) Universal human traits (B) Language extinction (C) Fossil age (D) Genetic mutations 6. Early comparative anthropologists often relied on: (A) Fieldwork (B) Travel diaries and missionary reports (C) DNA analysis (D) Experimental psychology 7. Which criticism is commonly directed at the early comparative method? (A) It ignored language studies (B) It relied on ethnocentric and biased data (C) It lacked mathematical models (D) It focused only on material culture 8. Franz Boas criticized the comparative method for: (A) Being too scientific (B) Assuming unilinear cultural evolution (C) Focusing on kinship studies (D) Using too much statistical analysis 9. Which modern approach complements the comparative method? (A) Ethnographic fieldwork (B) Radioactive dating (C) Genetic mapping (D) Astronomical observations 10. The comparative method can be used to study: (A) Cross-cultural marriage practices (B) Chemical compositions (C) Climate change exclusively (D) DNA mutations 11. One of the main goals of the comparative method is: (A) To create universal laws of culture (B) To isolate individual behaviors only (C) To eliminate cultural variation (D) To design new societies 12. Which of the following uses the comparative method to trace language evolution? (A) Historical linguistics (B) Medical anthropology (C) Biological anthropology (D) Archaeometry 13. The âcross-cultural methodâ is another term for: (A) Structuralism (B) The comparative method (C) Cultural relativism (D) Postmodernism 14. Which dataset is commonly used in cross-cultural comparative studies? (A) Rosetta Stone (B) Human Genome Project (C) Human Relations Area Files (HRAF) (D) Radiocarbon database 15. The comparative method often combines: (A) Qualitative and quantitative data (B) Astrology and ethnography (C) Mythology and geology (D) Archaeology and astronomy 16. In anthropology, âeticâ perspective is often used in: (A) Comparative studies (B) Personal narratives (C) Reflexive ethnography (D) Experimental psychology 17. The comparative method has been most successful in identifying: (A) Cultural universals (B) Exact dates of prehistory (C) Genetic sequences (D) Unique individual habits 18. One key limitation of the comparative method is: (A) It cannot be applied to modern societies (B) It often ignores historical context (C) It excludes fieldwork entirely (D) It cannot use statistical tools 19. Which paradigm replaced the unilinear evolutionist use of the comparative method? (A) Cultural relativism (B) Diffusionism (C) Structural functionalism (D) Positivism 20. Which type of comparison is central to the comparative method? (A) Intra-species comparison (B) Cross-cultural comparison (C) Laboratory comparison (D) Planetary comparison 21. Who applied the comparative method to kinship studies? (A) Franz Boas (B) Lewis Henry Morgan (C) Margaret Mead (D) Clifford Geertz 22. Which theory heavily relied on the comparative method? (A) Unilinear evolution (B) SapirâWhorf hypothesis (C) Postmodernism (D) Symbolic interactionism 23. The comparative method allows anthropologists to: (A) Predict future genetic evolution (B) Infer cultural development stages (C) Perform DNA sequencing (D) Conduct laboratory tests 24. What is a modern ethical challenge of the comparative method? (A) Informed consent from studied cultures (B) Use of carbon dating (C) DNA storage (D) Climate impact analysis 25. Which term refers to using comparisons to find patterns among societies? (A) Ethnography (B) Comparative analysis (C) Participant observation (D) Reflexivity 26. Early comparative anthropologists believed societies evolved: (A) In multiple unrelated paths (B) Through similar stages from âsavageâ to âcivilizedâ (C) Only through technology (D) Only through warfare 27. Which type of societies were often used as âliving fossilsâ in early comparative studies? (A) Industrial societies (B) Hunter-gatherer societies (C) Urban centers (D) Ancient empires 28. A major advancement in the modern comparative method is: (A) Statistical and computational modeling (B) Abandoning fieldwork entirely (C) Using astrology for predictions (D) Eliminating historical records 29. Which concept replaced ethnocentric judgments in comparative analysis? (A) Positivism (B) Evolutionary hierarchy (C) Cultural relativism (D) Racial typology 30. The comparative method is most useful for testing: (A) Universal hypotheses about culture (B) Individual psychological states (C) Linguistic pronunciation accuracy (D) Chemical reactions 31. A synchronic comparative study examines: (A) Historical changes over time (B) Cultures at a single point in time (C) Only extinct societies (D) Genetic drift 32. A diachronic comparative study focuses on: (A) Comparing rituals in modern cities (B) Changes over time (C) Static snapshots (D) Climate mapping 33. The comparative method is often linked to which scientific principle? (A) Relativity (B) Empiricism (C) Natural selection (D) Law of superposition 34. Which is an example of comparative research in anthropology? (A) Comparing kinship systems in Africa and Oceania (B) Mapping tectonic plates (C) Measuring rainfall in deserts (D) Testing blood samples 35. The comparative method helps identify: (A) Patterns of cultural diffusion (B) Atomic structures (C) Geological formations (D) Physical fitness levels 36. Why is sampling important in comparative studies? (A) To represent diverse cultures accurately (B) To eliminate the need for fieldwork (C) To reduce cultural diversity (D) To avoid using historical records 37. Which anthropological concept discourages biased comparative analysis? (A) Ethnocentrism (B) Cultural relativism (C) Social Darwinism (D) Structural racism 38. The comparative method often uses which type of data? (A) Cross-cultural surveys (B) Astronomical charts (C) Genetic codes (D) Mineral samples 39. What role does ethnography play in the comparative method? (A) Provides detailed cultural data for comparison (B) Replaces comparison entirely (C) Prevents statistical analysis (D) Focuses only on prehistoric cultures 40. Which modern technology supports comparative anthropology? (A) Digital ethnographic databases (B) Nuclear reactors (C) Satellite telescopes (D) Oil drilling tools 41. Which early anthropologist promoted cultural stages through comparison? (A) BronisĆaw Malinowski (B) Lewis Henry Morgan (C) Clifford Geertz (D) Ruth Benedict 42. The comparative method can test hypotheses about: (A) Social structures and kinship (B) Earthquake prediction (C) Chemical reactions (D) Planetary movement 43. What is one major limitation of early comparative methods? (A) Lack of direct field observation (B) Over-reliance on genetic data (C) Excessive use of laboratory tests (D) Neglect of economic theory 44. Which is a modern ethical improvement in comparative anthropology? (A) Collaborative research with local communities (B) Using only second-hand reports (C) Avoiding indigenous perspectives (D) Eliminating historical sources 45. Comparative methods are often applied in: (A) Kinship, religion, and political systems (B) Chemical laboratories (C) Geological surveys (D) Physical fitness training 46. Which statistical technique is often used in modern comparative anthropology? (A) Cross-tabulation and regression analysis (B) Quantum mechanics (C) Radiocarbon decay formula (D) DNA fingerprinting 47. The comparative method is sometimes criticized for being: (A) Overly simplistic and deterministic (B) Too focused on individual psychology (C) Limited to prehistoric archaeology (D) Biologically biased 48. Which perspective integrates comparative methods with cultural contexts? (A) Cultural relativism (B) Social Darwinism (C) Behaviorism (D) Positivism 49. Why is the comparative method still relevant today? (A) It helps analyze globalization and cultural change (B) It replaces ethnographic methods (C) It eliminates the need for historical records (D) It predicts earthquakes 50. The ultimate goal of the comparative method is: (A) To understand human diversity and shared patterns (B) To enforce cultural uniformity (C) To eliminate ancient traditions (D) To create artificial languages  1. Foundations of Linguistic Anthropology MCQsDefinition, scope, and history MCQsLanguage vs. communication MCQsHuman language vs. animal communication MCQsKey figures in linguistic anthropology MCQs2. 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