What is the relationship of Psychology and Anthropology?

The close relation between psychology and anthropology is seen in the relation between the main branches, social psychology and cultural anthropology. In social psychology, individual behaviour is studied under social environments. Social anthropology also studies human society, social institution and groups.

Explaining their relation, the famous anthropologist, Hoebel, writes that "The anthropologist concentrates chiefly on the society of primitive people and the sociologist concentrates on our contemporary civilization. The social psychologist roams happily between them manipulating his tests and measurements." In spite of the above mentioned close relation, the difference between anthropology and psychology should not be forgotten.

Psychology studies the human behaviour whereas anthropology studies not an individual but the whole of mankind. Psychology studies individual behaviour in social environments whereas social anthropology studies groups of individuals. Psychology and anthropology both study man but the viewpoint of both of them is different.

Whereas some such methods of observation are commonly employed in both of these sciences, some methods of psychology, for example, the introspection method, are not much used in anthropology. Psychology and anthropology both have an important place in social sciences. A useful knowledge of human behaviour is obtained from both of them.

Different researches have influenced each other in the field of both of them.