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Chapter 5 Methods in Cultural Anthropology What We Will Learn How do cultural anthropologists conduct fieldwork? What types of data-gathering techniques do cultural anthropologists use? What are some of the problems faced by cultural anthropologists that make fieldwork somewhat less than romantic? What ethical dilemmas do applied anthropologists face when conducting fieldwork? Common Issues in Fieldwork Gaining acceptance in the community. Selecting the most appropriate datagathering techniques. Understanding how to operate within the local political structure. Taking precautions against investigator bias. Common Issues in Fieldwork Choosing knowledgeable informants. Coping with culture shock. Learning a new language. Be willing to reevaluate findings in the light of new evidence. Preparing for Fieldwork Obtain funding from a source that supports anthropological research. Take the proper health precautions. Obtain permission or clearance from the host government. Become proficient in the local language. Make arrangements for personal possessions while out of the country. Basic Stages of Field Research 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Selecting a research problem Formulating a research design Collecting the data Analyzing the data Interpreting the data Data Gathering Techniques Participant-Observation Interviewing Census Taking Mapping Document Analysis Collecting Genealogies Photography Guidelines for ParticipantObservation Fieldwork When introducing oneself, select one role and use it consistently. Proceed slowly. Assume the role of a student wanting to learn more about a subject on which the people are the experts. Participant-Observation Advantages Disadvantages •Enhances rapport •Enables fieldworkers to distinguish actual and expected behavior. •Permits observation of nonverbal behavior. •Small sample size. •Difficult to obtain standardized comparable data. •Problems of recording. •Obtrusive effect on subject matter Ethnographic Interview How it is unique: The interviewer and the subject almost always speak different first languages. Much broader in scope because it elicits information on the entire culture. Used in conjunction with other datagathering techniques. Structured and Unstructured Interviews In unstructured interviews the interviewer asks open-ended questions and allows interviewees to respond at their own pace in their own words. In structured interviews, the interviewer asks all informants the same questions, in the same sequence, and under the same set of conditions. Guidelines for Ethnographic Interviewing 1. 2. 3. 4. Obtain informed consent before interviewing. Maintain neutrality by not conveying to the interviewee what may be the “desired” answer. Pre-test questions to make sure they are understandable and culturally relevant. Keep the recording unobtrusive. Guidelines for Ethnographic Interviewing 5. 6. 7. Make certain the conditions under which the interviews are conducted are consistent. Use simple, clean, and jargon-free language. Phrase questions positively. Guidelines for Ethnographic Interviewing 8. 9. 10. Keep the questions and the interview short. Avoid questions that have two parts to the answer. Save controversial questions for the end. Choosing A Data-gathering Technique What is the nature of the problem being investigated? How receptive are the people being studied? Characteristics of Culture Shock Confusion over how to behave. Surprise or disgust after realizing some of the features of the new culture. Feeling a loss of old familiar surroundings and ways of doing things. Characteristics of Culture Shock Feeling rejected by members of the new culture. Loss of self-esteem because you don’t seem to be functioning very effectively. Doubt over your own cultural values. Symptoms of Culture Shock Compulsive eating Homesickness or drinking Chauvinistic excesses Boredom Irritability Stereotyping and hostility toward host nationals Withdrawal Exaggerated cleanliness Loss of ability to work effectively Excessive sleep Marital stress and family tension Unexplainable weeping Narrative Ethnography Narrative ethnographers are not interested in descriptive accounts of another culture written with scientific detachment. Their ethnographies are reflections of how their own personalities and cultural influences combine with personal encounters with their informants to produce cultural data. The Human Relations Area Files (HRAF) The world’s largest anthropological data bank. Developed for the purpose of testing hypotheses and building theory. Ethnographic data on over 300 cultures organized according to 700 different subjects. Ethics and Anthropology Areas of responsibility for anthropologists: The people under study The local communities The host governments and their own government Other members of the scholarly community Organizations that sponsor research Their own students Quick Quiz 1. Cultural anthropologists collect their data and test their hypotheses by means of: a) analyzing data. b) reflexive ethnography. c) sociometric sampling. d) fieldwork. Answer: d Cultural anthropologists collect their data and test their hypotheses by means of fieldwork. 2. _______ involves selecting the appropriate data-gathering techniques for measuring the research variables. a) Interpreting data b) Research design c) Analyzing data d) Collecting data Answer: d Collecting data involves selecting the appropriate data-gathering techniques for measuring the research variables. 3. Once the data has been gathered, the researcher moves to: a) research design. b) interpreting data. c) analyzing data. d) participant observation. Answer: c Once the data has been gathered, the researcher moves to analyzing data. 4. ______ involve a minimum of control, with the anthropologist asking openended questions on general topics. a) Structured interviews b) Family profile data c) Research designs d) Unstructured interviews Answered: d Unstructured interviews involve a minimum of control, with the anthropologist asking open-ended questions on general topics. 5. ________ refers to the psychological disorientation that can be caused by trying to adjust to major differences in lifestyles and living conditions. a) Disorientation b) Biculturalism c) Sociometric tracking d) Culture shock Answer: d Culture shock refers to the psychological disorientation that can be caused by trying to adjust to major differences in lifestyles and living conditions.