Final answer:
The term "subsistence pattern" refers to how a society acquires food and other necessities, encapsulating four main modes: gathering-hunting, pastoralism, plant cultivation, and industrialism/post-industrialism.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term "subsistence pattern" refers to the sources and methods a society uses to obtain food and other necessities. This concept encompasses how societies interact with their environment to ensure their basic needs for survival, such as food, clothing, shelter, and health. In anthropological terms, it is also known as the mode of subsistence. There are four main modes of subsistence throughout human history: gathering-hunting, pastoralism, plant cultivation, and industrialism/post-industrialism, each with its unique strategies for producing, distributing, and consuming essential resources.
Modes of subsistence not only cater to the procurement of basic needs but also structure society, instituting roles, groups, and institutions to manage the production of goods. They also dictate the methods of trading and circulating goods within communities and beyond, reflecting specific societal ideals and values. In practical terms, modes of subsistence are characterized by human labor applied directly to natural resources to produce and distribute goods. Most societies have a predominant mode of subsistence but often integrate practices from other strategies depending on various factors, such as environmental changes, technological advances, and sociopolitical dynamics.