Question

How do anthropologists understand what economics and economic behavior is? Know what an adaptive strategy is and the five different adaptive strategies discussed in class.

Answer 1

Anthropologists understand economics through the field of economic anthropology. There are five different adaptive strategies discussed in class: gathering-hunting, pastoralism, plant cultivation, and industrialism.

Step-by-step explanation:

Anthropologists understand economics and economic behavior through the field of economic anthropology. This discipline takes a human-centered approach to studying economic issues, considering how social and cultural factors interact with economic production, markets, and consumption.

An adaptive strategy refers to the primary way in which a society meets its needs for food, resources, and goods. There are five different adaptive strategies discussed in class:

1. Gathering-hunting: This strategy involves hunting wild animals and gathering wild plants as the main sources of sustenance. Examples include the Hadza people of Tanzania.
2. Pastoralism: This strategy revolves around the herding and domestication of animals for food and other resources. The Bedouin nomads are an example of a pastoral society.
3. Plant cultivation: This strategy involves cultivating and growing crops for sustenance. There are two main forms: extensive horticulture, which involves small-scale farming with minimal technology, and intensive agriculture, which involves large-scale farming with advanced technology.
4. Industrialism: This strategy involves reliance on manufacturing and industrial production to meet needs. It often results in urbanization and specialization in crafts.