Shared Flashcard Set

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Myths and Religion
anthro 101
19
Anthropology
Undergraduate 1
06/12/2008

Additional Anthropology Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
What are the 8 characteristics of a ritual?
Definition

1) axis mundi- stage

2)  Helps to remember story and it's accompanying values

3) standardize behaviour of the tradtion- trying to be obedient to dieties, predict behaviour of memeber of church/society

4) participation is a form of communication w/ very little new info being given

5)  participation is a form of expressive acts

6)  partcipation creates strong sense of unity b/w people

7) seperates insider from outsider- orthodox from non orthodox

8) partcipation in ceremonies has cathartic effect

 

 

 

 

Term
What are the values of magic?
Definition

1) deal with uncertanities of our lives- death, meaning, purpose, pre/mortal existance

 

2) helps deal with misfortune in life

 

3) helps us deal w/ issues of our life 

Term

What are the 4 aspects of Witchraft?

Definition

1) explains misfortune

 

2) brings social tensions out into the open to be resolved

 

3)  corrects behaviour

 

4)  follows lines of tension- w/in family, people 

Term
What are the differences between magic and religion?
Definition

1) R- major issues of human existance- the why's

M- directed toward specific , immediate problems such as curing an illness, bringing rain, ensuring safety

 

2) R- uses prayer and sacrifices to appeal to or petition supernatural assistance

M- Believe they can control or manipulate other people by their own efforts

 

3) Religion- group activity

Magic- individual

 

4) Religion- practiced at same time

Magic- practiced irregularly in response to specific and ummediate problems

 

5) religion- involves officially recognized functionaires such as priests

 

Magic- performed by a wide variety of practitioneers who may or may not be recognized within the community as having supernatural powers 

Term

3 social funtions of religion

 

Definition

1) social control- mantains order by encouraging socially acceptable behaviour- vice versa- people are afraid of consequences

 

2) Conflict resolution- rituals to protect themselves

 

3) Reinforcement of Group solidarity- express tehir common identity in an emotionally charged environment- social bonds are created among people who share their beliefs 

 

 

 

 

Term
what are the three religious forms?
Definition

1) individualistic

simple and basic, one one one between themselves and the spirit, Do it yourself vision qwuest

 rational decsions "quickened"

 

2) Communal 

 Rite of passage- viewed but still individualistic

Rite of solidarity- sacrement meeting, fast and testimony, General Conference

 

3)  Ecclesiastical

General authoritires- strong relatonships between religion and political party- gender specific 

 

Term

What are the charactersistics of a myth?

 

Definition

1) what is really reality

2) Myths recount struggle b/w good and evil that are portrayed by 2 supernatural beings- pro and antagonist- portagonist exemplifies the behaviour desired by the God

 

3) Myths recount the relationship b/w man and diety- wants to unstruct and teach them to be like Him

 

4) always told in restricted code only members can understand

 

5) seperates the believers from the non believers

 

6) passed down from generation to generation through a socialization process

 

7) important myths are acted out- literature, orally, dramatized, reinacted

 

8) help people to think beyond the natural- excited imaginiation and to think outside the box 

Term
What are the three types of myths?
Definition

1) cosmogonic- how the world was created

 

2) heroes journey

 

3) eternal return- pre/mortal/after life 

Term
What three things do rituals accomplish?
Definition

1) hierachal order is established, social order made clear

 

2) roles are defined

 

3) knowledge is revealed 

Term

Magic is.....

 

imitative vs contagious 

Definition

A force or power that is manipulated for the purpose of intervening in a wide range of human activities and natural events

 

a-moral

 

imitative- procedure resembles teh desired relust- such as sticking a doll that will harm that person

 

contagious- premise that things once in contact with a person- lock of hair- continue to influence that person after seperation 

 

 

Term
Political System Social Organization?
Definition

1) bands

2) Tribe

3) Chieftans

4) States 

Term

Benefits of Political  Organiztions?

Definition

1) extent to which political institutions are distinct

2) extent to which authority is concentrated

3) level of political integration

 

Term

Psychological functions of religion?

 

 

 

 

Definition

Cognitive function- comforting because it helps explain the unexplainable

 

Emotional funtion- help individuals cope with the anxieties often accompanying illnes, etc. 

Term

Rite of passage

 

Definition

1) public announcement

2) his/or her role in the community  

Term
what are the characteristics of a band?
Definition

they have to get along with eachother

least amount of political integration

political decisions are immbedded in the culture

leadership is informal 

Term
Tribes
Definition

local leaders but not centralized leadership

difference- tribes have clans, age grades etc 

Term
Chiefdoms
Definition

integration is achieved through chiefs

Chiefs- centralized permanet officals of higher rank than others in the society 

Term
States
Definition

Specialized political roles

has exclusive right to use force and physical coercion

Maintains authority by means of ideology 

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