Differences between Psychology and Anthropology

These disciplines are used to study human beings and their behavior in different ways.

Psychology and anthropology are two fields of knowledge and research that can often be confused. Both place great importance on the study of the human being, but do so in different ways.

But... Where exactly are these differences between psychology and anthropology? Are they so relevant as to keep these two disciplines in separate categories? Certainly, if both have different names and are represented by different university degrees, it is for a reason. Let's see in what points each one of them is characterized.

Main differences between Anthropology and Psychology.

These are the basic points on which psychology and anthropology differ. Some of them suggest that these two disciplines that these two disciplines overlap in some cases, and in practice it is impossible toThe truth is that in practice it is impossible to isolate completely what each studies. However, both maintain their identity precisely because this overlap is not total, far from it.

1. Psychology is less socially based

Psychology is a very broad science, and not everything it covers has to do with the social. not everything it covers has to do with the social dimension of human beings.. For example, basic psychology or biopsychology focus only on the study of the individual, and if they take into account anything outside the individual, it is only a few very limited variables.

Anthropology, on the other hand, always studies the human being as a product of the society in which he lives. That is, it studies the way in which different cultures (and their relationship with biology, in the case of Biological anthropology) express themselves through the variety of human behaviors.

2. The temporal focus of research

Anthropology always starts from a historical perspective. It tries to understand how certain patterns of behavior and certain forms of expression have arisen, taking into account the way in which generations take over from previous generations.

Thus, anthropologists almost always formulate their research topics and the hypotheses that answer these questions by analyzing broad time periods. by analyzing broad periods of time. This allows for a better understanding of those cultural or ethnic characteristics that stand the test of time.

Psychology, on the other hand psychology, on the other hand, starts with the analysis of broad time periods much less frequently.. This means that some of their findings are intended to be timeless. In fact, much of the research on which its advances are based is based on the here and now of the time of measurement.

3. The claim to universality

As we have seen in the previous point, a good part of psychology seeks timeless findings. This gives us clues about another of the differences between psychology and anthropology: the former does not always take into account the effect of culture and focuses on the biological and genetic, while the latter, although it may take into account the physical differences between groups, emphasizes the transmission of habits, symbols and customs built collectively and born of constant interaction with the environment.

That is, anthropology studies the human being in relation to the historical and cultural contingencies in which he lives, while psychology does not have to do this and can also choose to analyze that which all human beings have in common in their most basic actions, beyond interpretations.beyond interpretations.

4. They use different methods

Psychology makes extensive use of the experimental method, which consists of generating a phenomenon (in this case, psychological) under the attentive observation of researchers, taking a meticulous and objective record of the facts and comparing these data with those obtained with other people in whom this phenomenon has not been generated.

It also uses correlation studies, in which they collect various data provided by a large number of individuals to analyze these results and see how the variables interact, what behavioral patterns appear, etc. For example, this method would make it possible to see whether people with depression tend to think more about suicide than the rest or not.

These two methodologies are based on the creation of a very defined and "rigid" system of variables a very well-defined and "rigid" system of variables that is "filled in" by the captured information.. They are quantitative forms of study.

Anthropology can also make use of these kinds of quantitative techniques, but it is defined more by quantitative methods. is defined more by qualitative methods, those which do not generatethose that do not generate rigid schemes before starting to investigate but adapt in real time to what is observed about the object of study.

For example, when an anthropologist goes to live with a tribe in the Amazon jungle to take notes about what he sees and to interview members of the clan without following a clear and very structured script, he is using qualitative methods.