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Anthropology is frequently misunderstood. To some, it is the study of exotic customs, old bones, and archaeological digs. While these topics are part of anthropology, the field also focuses on other subjects, such as marriage customs, chimpanzee behavior, economic systems, stone tool technologies, religion, DNA variation, prehistoric migration, human disease, and many others.
Anthropologists work on projects ranging from the study of human ancestors millions of years ago, to the study of tribal groups living in the Amazon, to the study of people in modern cities. All human societies, from hunting and gathering to cities in developed nations, are of potential interest to anthropologists. The methods of anthropologists are just as varied, including interviews, excavations, computer simulation, library research, and laboratory analysis.
Is anthropology simply a grab bag collection of miscellaneous topics, or is there some common focus? What do anthropologists have in common? Quite simply, the common focus is humankind. In fact, the word "anthropology" translates roughly from the Greek as "the study of humankind." This definition, however, is too broad. Anthropology is one of many human sciences, which include psychology, sociology, geography, political science, and economics. Anthropology differs from these other fields in its focus and methods, not its subject matter.
Perhaps the best definition of anthropology is the study of human cultural and biological variation and evolution. Variation refers to differences among people. Anthropologists focus on cultural and biological similarities and differences among human groups. Evolution is part of anthropology. We are interested in human origins and in cultural and biological change over time.
Anthropology in the United States is traditionally broken down into several subfields: