Behavioral Anthropology

Toward an Integrated Science of Human Behavior

By (author) Theodore D. Graves

Paperback - £42.00

Publication date:

20 February 2004

Length of book:

426 pages

Publisher

AltaMira Press

ISBN-13: 9780759105737

Behavioral Anthropology is a unique introduction, combining an intellectual biography with an explanation of methodological principles. Each chapter deals with a specific methodological issue, such as research design, the role of theory, various strategies for measuring behavior, psychological or situational variables, samples and surveys, and both simple and complex methods of data analysis and interpretation. Graves includes a clear analysis of his distinctive approach to cross-cultural research. He explains how the behavioral anthropological approach gives focus to ethnographic study and illuminates the causes, correlates and consequences of within-group variation in behavior and in changes over time. For those interested in a behavioral and scientific approach to anthropology, this book will be a valuable reference and teaching tool.
I certainly agree with Graves on the need for a return to some sort of positivistic, scientific attitude in cultural anthropology, emphasizing evidence-based, and if possible, quantitative findings, with a research design that permits replication.