Anthropology vs Psychology Essay
Psychology and anthropology are popular fields to study in the world today. Everyday, new discoveries are found, new information is gathered, and worthwhile experiments are being performed. Both fields of study are providing the people with answers about themselves and other people around the globe. It is hard to say if anthropology or pyschology provides us with more of an insight into how we function in the world as human beings. There are three main similarities between psychology and anthropology, and two main differences.
They both started as an official field at about the same time. Psychology and anthropology both study humans, and try to provide insights about our daily lives. When studying anthropology and psychology, questions are always posed about how we interact with other people around us. A difference between the two is that anthropologists study humans and their different cultures, while psychologists study the human mind in specific.
Psychologists generally study people frequently in a labratory setting, while anthropologists generally study people and ask questions in a more natural manner.
Both psychology and anthropology started a little over 100 years ago. People have been studying both psychology and anthropology casually for thousands of years, but as for being an official area of study it has been a little over 100 years for both. Young, European aristocratic males were the first ones to study anthropology. They had the money to travel and began to ask people of different cultures questions about these cultures and their daily lives. The start of scientific psychology officially was in 1879, when the scientist William
Wundt developed the first psychological lab in Germany. Anthropology provides the world with answers to the questions about how culture is apparant in our societies, and how it is radically different in some countries. By studying culture, they can provide us with answers about people as a society. Psychology provides us with answers about how we function as individuals, and how our minds work, and in turn, how we function as a whole.
The main difference between the two is the specific area of study. Generally, all anthropologists focus on culture. They ask people questions about their cultures and they study cultures of the past. This includes all aspects of culture. Language and customs for example. Psychology studies the human mind and how individuals react to their external and internal environments. They focus on the brain and how it works.
Another difference is how the data is collected. Anthropologists are generally always in the field in one way or another. They will live amongst the people they wish to study, to get a first hand look at how the culture works. Or, they visit the people frequently to ask questions and get a good idea about how things work.
Psychologists generally study people in a more formal manner, and often in a labratory environment. They do often study people in their natural environments, but labratory study is a big part of it.
Anthropology and psychology are highly popular areas to study at this time. Psychology is almost always the most popular major at colleges and universities. They are similar fields in many ways, and very different in ways as well. Pyschology and anthropology will continue to fascinate people and make them ask questions about the world around us.
Tags: anthropology and psychology essay, free essays on psychology, sample psychology essay
Posted in Sample essays