Cultural relativism is a foundational principle in anthropology that emphasizes understanding cultural practices, beliefs, and values within their own context, rather than judging them by the standards of another culture. It is both a methodological approach and an ethical stance, designed to counter ethnocentrism. 🌍 Definition Cultural Relativism: The idea that cultures must be understood…

Cultural materialism is an anthropological framework that explains cultural practices and beliefs primarily in terms of material conditions—such as environment, technology, and economy—rather than ideology or symbolism. It emphasizes that the infrastructure of society (subsistence, production, ecology) shapes social organization and cultural values. 🌍 Definition Cultural Materialism: A theoretical approach developed by anthropologist Marvin Harris…

A cultural group is a collection of people who share common cultural traits—such as language, traditions, values, beliefs, practices, and material culture—that distinguish them from other groups. In anthropology, it is a basic unit for analyzing diversity, identity, and social organization. 🌍 Definition Cultural Group: A community bound together by shared cultural characteristics and a…

Cultural evolution is the study of how human cultures change, adapt, and develop over time, often compared to biological evolution but operating through symbolic, social, and technological transmission rather than genetic inheritance. It is a central concept in anthropology, archaeology, and evolutionary theory. 🌍 Definition Cultural Evolution: The process by which cultural traits (ideas, practices,…

Cultural environment is an anthropological and sociological concept that refers to the social, symbolic, and institutional surroundings in which people live and interact. It encompasses the norms, values, traditions, and practices that shape human behavior, alongside the material and ecological settings that give them context. 🌍 Definition Cultural Environment: The set of cultural conditions—beliefs, practices,…

Cultural ecology is an anthropological framework that examines the relationship between human cultures and their environments, focusing on how societies adapt to ecological conditions through technology, social organization, and belief systems. It bridges ecology and anthropology, showing how cultural practices are shaped by environmental constraints and opportunities. 🌍 Definition Cultural Ecology: The study of how…

Cultural diffusion is a foundational concept in anthropology and cultural studies, describing the spread of cultural traits, ideas, practices, or technologies from one society to another. It explains how cultures influence each other through contact, trade, migration, or communication. 🌍 Definition Cultural Diffusion: The process by which elements of one culture are transmitted into and…

Cultural determinism is an anthropological and sociological concept that emphasizes the idea that human behavior, values, and identity are primarily shaped by culture rather than biology or environment. It is often contrasted with biological determinism (which stresses genetics) and environmental determinism (which stresses geography or climate). 🌍 Definition Cultural Determinism: The theory that culture is…

In anthropology and archaeology, the term cultural depression refers to a depression or hollow in the ground that results from human activity, rather than natural geological processes. It is a concept used in site analysis to distinguish human-made features from natural formations. 🌍 Definition Cultural Depression: A concave feature in the landscape created by human…

In anthropology and archaeology, a cultural deposit refers to the layer or accumulation of material remains left behind by human activity. These deposits are the physical traces of past societies, preserved in the ground and studied to reconstruct cultural practices, chronology, and environmental interactions. 🌍 Definition Cultural Deposit: Sediments, soils, or strata that contain artifacts,…

Cultural deformation in anthropology refers to the alteration, distortion, or reshaping of cultural practices, symbols, and identities—often as a result of external pressures such as colonization, globalization, forced assimilation, or unequal power relations. It highlights how cultures change under stress, sometimes losing coherence or being reconfigured in ways that reflect domination rather than organic adaptation.…

A cultural complex is an anthropological concept that refers to a cluster of related cultural traits that are functionally or symbolically interconnected. It is a way of organizing cultural phenomena into meaningful groupings that reflect how practices, beliefs, and material elements work together in society. 🌍 Definition Cultural Trait: A single element of culture (e.g.,…