Anthropology Practice Test 2026 – The Comprehensive All-in-One Guide for Exam Success

Ethnocentrism is best defined as viewing another culture through your own cultural lens and values, which leads to the belief that your own culture is superior. This perspective can result in misinterpretations and misunderstandings of different cultural practices, norms, and beliefs, as it imposes one's own cultural biases onto other cultures. The tendency to judge others based on the traits and standards predominant in one’s own culture limits the ability to appreciate the diversity and richness of human experience across various societal contexts.

In this context, the other options do not capture the essence of ethnocentrism accurately. Viewing another culture by their own standards implies a level of understanding and respect for that culture's context, which is antithetical to ethnocentrism. Government standards are not inherently linked to the concept of ethnocentrism, as they can apply to various forms of governance and regulations rather than cultural viewpoints. Lastly, viewing another culture through rose-colored glasses suggests an overly positive or biased interpretation, which does not align with the core idea of ethnocentrism centered on a judgmental outlook rather than a naive appreciation.