A. Why does redistribution cause efficiency losses? B. Why might society choose to redistribute...

Read about the reciprocity norm and the types of reciprocity, which include balanced and generalized reciprocity. See examples the different types of reciprocity.

Anthropologist Anthony Wallace posited four distinct types of religion: monotheistic, Olympian, communal, and shamanic. Explore each of these archetypes to review their cultural features and understand their functions within their societies.

Distribution patterns in economics encompass the variables involved in moving the product into the hands of the consumer, such as proximity, price, and transportation infrastructure. Learn the significance of location and technological advances in the distribution of goods and services.

Applied anthropology involves the use of the discipline to address societal problems and to facilitate change, whereas academic anthropology is primarily about the teaching of the subject of anthropology. Learn more about each field's application, challenges, and benefits.

Kinship can determine a lot, from marriage to social organization and politics. In this lesson, explore the kinship relations and political systems that existed in pre-colonial Africa.

Explore the field of biological anthropology, one of the four subfields of anthropology. Discover the specializations within biological anthropology, including primatology, forensic anthropology, and evolutionary medicine.

Although marriage is a common aspect of many cultures, it takes different forms, including some that may seem strange but that should be viewed through the lens of cultural relativism. Learn about marriage customs in India, such as marriage between cousins and marriage after the death of a spouse, and how these differ according to region.

Foraging societies (or hunter-gatherer societies) contain people who survive by collecting naturally occurring resources and share social and cultural traits. Learn more about foraging societies and explore the community size, lack of structure, and exceptions that apply to fishing societies.

Dr. Allan Schnaiberg was a pioneer in the field of environmental sociology and was particularly interested in how human economic desires conflict with the environment. Learn about Schnaiberg's significant contributions to environmental sociology and better understand his ~'treadmill of production~' theory.

Across nearly every society, there are three main rules that have governed marriage: incest, exogamy, and endogamy. Learn more about the definitions of incest, endogamy, and exogamy, and review examples of each.

Discover cultural ecology, which brings together the study of environment and culture. Find out its origins in an overview that aids understanding of cultures.

Ethnocentrism is the attitude that the customs and ideas of another society can be judged according to one's own culture. Learn about ethnocentrism, the positive aspects of ethnocentrism, cultural relativism, and human rights.

Culture is analyzed in anthropology as the science of human behaviors that are passed down from one generation to another and how they interact. Learn more about the definition of culture, its characteristics, and the concepts it represents in the anthropological sciences.

Study matrilineal vs. patrilineal descent systems. Learn the definition of patrilineal and matrilineal descent and examine how these lineages function.

Learn what physical anthropology is, explore its definition, and see its branches of study. Discover examples of physical anthropology and the study of humans.

Discover the different descent groups. Learn the definition of bilateral, unilateral, and ambilineal descent, and review examples of these lineage systems.