Isiko yigama lesambulela elihlanganisa isimilo nokuziphatha komphakathi okutholakala emiphakathini yabantu, kanye nolwazi, izinkolelo, ezobuciko, imithetho, amasiko, amakhono nemikhuba yabantu kulawa maqembu. Abantu bathola isiko ngezinqubo zokufunda zokuzibandakanya kanye nokuhlalisana kwabantu, okukhonjiswa ukwehluka kwamasiko kuyo yonke imiphakathi. Inkambiso yamasiko ihlanganisa ukuziphatha okwamukelekayo emphakathini; sisebenza njengesiqondiso sokuziphatha, ukugqoka, ulimi nokuziphatha esimweni, okusebenza njengesifanekiso sokulindelwe eqenjini lomphakathi. Ukwamukela uhlobo olulodwa kuphela eqenjini lomphakathi kungathwala ubungozi, njengoba nje nohlobo olulodwa lungabuna lapho kubhekene noshintsho kwezemvelo, ngenxa yokuntuleka kwezimpendulo ezisebenzayo kulolo shintsho. Ngakho-ke emasikweni ezempi, ubuqhawe bubalwa njengokuziphatha okujwayelekile komuntu ngamunye nomsebenzi, inhlonipho, nokwethembeka eqenjini lezenhlalo kubalwa njengobuhle noma izimpendulo ezisebenzayo ekuqhubekeni kwengxabano. Enkambisweni yenkolo, izici ezifanayo zingabonakala eqenjini lezenhlalo. Yize izazi zesayensi yabantu emhlabeni wonke zibhekisa encazelweni yamasiko kaTylor, ngekhulu lama-20 "isiko" lavela njengomqondo ophakathi futhi ohlanganisayo we-anthropology yaseMelika, lapho ivame kakhulu ukubhekisa emandleni omuntu jikelele wokuhlukanisa nokufaka ulwazi lomuntu ngokufanekisa, nokukhulumisana ngokomfanekiso okuhlangenwe nakho okufakiwe emphakathini.I-anthropology yaseMelika ihlelwe yaba imikhakha emine, ngayinye edlala indima ebalulekile ocwaningweni ngamasiko: i-anthropology yezinto eziphilayo, i-anthropology yolimi, i-anthropology yamasiko, nase-United States naseCanada, imivubukulo.