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Anthropology is the scientific study of humanity and of human culture.
Anthropologists investigate the strategies for living that are learned and shared by people as members of social groups. These scientists examine the characteristics that human beings share as members of one species and the diverse ways that people live in different environments. Like other social scientists, anthropologists look systematically for general patterns in human behavior. They develop theories and use scientific methods to test them. For example, anthropologists have studied the legal systems of African farm villages, of New Guinea pig breeders, and of European industrial nations.