Research, evaluate, and establish public policy concerning the origins of humans; their physical, social, linguistic, and cultural development; and their behavior, as well as the cultures, organizations, and institutions they have created.
Overview
Tasks
Skills
Median Annual Wage: $59,280
Education: Master's degree (57%); Doctoral degree (39%); Post-doctoral training (4%)
Projected Growth: Faster than average (15% to 21%)
Related Job Titles: Scientist; Professor; American Indian Policy Specialist; Anthropology Instructor; Applied Anthropologist; Behavioral Scientist; Medical Anthropology Director; Professor of Anthropology; Researcher; Anthropologist
Plan and direct research to characterize and compare the economic, demographic, health care, social, political, linguistic, and religious institutions of distinct cultural groups, communities, and organizations.
Collect information and make judgments through observation, interviews, and review of documents.
Write about and present research findings for a variety of specialized and general audiences.
Formulate general rules that describe and predict the development and behavior of cultures and social institutions.
Identify culturally specific beliefs and practices affecting health status and access to services for distinct populations and communities, in collaboration with medical and public health officials.
Advise government agencies, private organizations, and communities regarding proposed programs, plans, and policies and their potential impacts on cultural institutions, organizations, and communities.
Explain the origins and physical, social, or cultural development of humans, including physical attributes, cultural traditions, beliefs, languages, resource management practices, and settlement patterns.
Develop intervention procedures, using techniques such as individual and focus group interviews, consultations, and participant observation of social interaction.
Collaborate with economic development planners to decide on the implementation of proposed development policies, plans, and programs based on culturally institutionalized barriers and facilitating circumstances.
Construct and test data collection methods.
Examine museum collections of hominid fossils to classify anatomical and physiological variations and to determine how they fit into evolutionary theory.
Train others in the application of ethnographic research methods to solve problems in organizational effectiveness, communications, technology development, policy making, and program planning.
Enhance the cultural sensitivity of elementary and secondary curricula and classroom interactions in collaboration with educators and teachers.
Create data records for use in describing and analyzing social patterns and processes, using photography, videography, and audio recordings.
Organize public exhibits and displays to promote public awareness of diverse and distinctive cultural traditions.
Build and use text-based database management systems to support the analysis of detailed first-hand observational records, or field notes.
Identify key individual cultural collaborators, using reputational and positional selection techniques.
Apply systematic sampling techniques to ensure the accuracy, completeness, precision, and representativeness of individuals selected for sample surveys.
Study archival collections of primary historical sources to help explain the origins and development of cultural patterns.
Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.