The four fields of anthropology share the following set of characteristics, which make anthropology a distinctive field of study and perspective on humanity. Anthropology is holistic . It seeks to explore every facet of an issue or topic. It is, therefore, inherently interdisciplinary. Anthropology looks at humans from a global perspective, comparing cultures in order to make generalizations and develop theories that apply to all societies, in all times and places.
Anthropology is biocultural .
Anthropology is a natural science, a social science, and one of the humanities . Perhaps most importantly, anthropologists respect human diversity .