The four-field approach to anthropology, characteristic of American anthropology, includes:

Question

Accepted Answer

Cultural anthropology, physical anthropology, archaeology, and linguistic anthropology. The four-field approach to anthropology, established by Franz Boas and characteristic of American anthropology, encompasses cultural anthropology (the study of living cultures), physical (biological) anthropology (the study of human biology and evolution), archaeology (the study of past cultures through material remains), and linguistic anthropology (the study of language in its cultural and social context).

History, economics, political science, and sociology are social science disciplines that are related to but distinct from the four subfields of anthropology. Biology, chemistry, physics, and geology are natural sciences; while physical anthropology draws on biology, these do not constitute the four fields. Philosophy, theology, literature, and art history are humanities disciplines, not the subfields of anthropology.

The four-field approach is one of the defining characteristics of American anthropology and is fundamental to the DSST exam. Each subfield contributes a different perspective on the central question of what it means to be human. Understanding how the four fields complement each other - with cultural anthropology studying behavior, physical anthropology studying biology, archaeology studying the past, and linguistics studying communication - demonstrates a holistic understanding of the discipline.

DSST General Anthropology: Question of the Day

Get a free DSST General Anthropology question every day

Ready for the full DSST General Anthropology? Earn 3 college credits.