Ethnicity is defined as which of the following?

• A. Defined by biogenetic factors
• B. Rooted in national origin and/or distinctive cultural patterns
• C. Language and religious practices
• D. A global category referring to race

Answer: (B)

Ethnicity centers on cultural origin and shared patterns of behavior, norms, and identity that groups pass down through generations. It links individuals to a national or ancestral origin and to distinctive cultural patterns—such as language, traditions, and social practices—that give the group its unique character. Because of that, the emphasis is on origin and culture rather than biology. Biological factors describe genetics and physical traits, which are more closely associated with race than ethnicity. Language or religious practices can be part of a culture, but they don’t by themselves define ethnicity, since ethnicity is broader and rooted in origin and shared cultural patterns. Referring to ethnicity as a global category tied to race would mischaracterize it as a biological or racial classification rather than a cultural and origin-based identity.