How Scientists Are Rediscovering the Whole Human
Breaking down disciplinary barriers to understand human complexity
What if we told you that to truly understand what makes us human, you need to study everything from ancient bones to modern social media habits, from hormone levels in saliva to cultural myths, and from primate behavior to urban architecture? This might seem like an impossibly vast undertaking, but a growing movement in anthropology believes this integrative approach is not just beneficial but essential to unraveling the magnificent complexity of human existence.
Integrative anthropology represents a paradigm shift in how we study humanity, breaking down traditional barriers between scientific disciplines to create a richer, more nuanced understanding of our species' past, present, and future.
The story of anthropology in the 21st century is one of reintegration and synthesis. After decades of increasing specialization that fragmented the study of humans into separate domains—biological, cultural, archaeological, linguistic—pioneering researchers are now building bridges across these divides. They recognize that humans cannot be understood through a single lens because we are simultaneously biological organisms, cultural beings, symbolic communicators, and products of evolutionary history.
Integrative anthropology represents a fundamental rejection of the nature versus nurture dichotomy that has long dominated scientific thinking about humanity. Instead, it embraces what anthropologist Agustín Fuentes describes as "the entanglement of biological systems with the social and cultural lives of humans, our ancestors, and a few of the other animals with whom humanity shares close relations" 1 .
Traditional biological anthropology often focused primarily on skeletal remains, genetic analysis, and physical adaptations. Cultural anthropology, meanwhile, specialized in ethnographic studies of social structures, belief systems, and symbolic meanings. While both approaches yielded valuable insights, they provided only partial pictures of human experience. Integrative anthropology acknowledges that "human action and perception are as evolutionarily relevant as are human genes, bones, and muscles" 2 .
Integrative anthropology draws heavily on the Extended Evolutionary Synthesis (EES), which expands beyond traditional gene-centered evolutionary theory to include multiple inheritance systems and developmental processes 2 . The EES recognizes that evolution operates through genetic, epigenetic, behavioral, and symbolic dimensions, all of which contribute to human adaptability and variation.
Many integrative anthropology programs are reviving anthropology's traditional four-field approach (biological, cultural, archaeological, and linguistic anthropology) but with modern twists. As described by the University of Central Florida's Integrative Anthropological Sciences Ph.D. program, this approach "seek(s) to integrate the subdisciplines of cultural anthropology, biological anthropology, and archaeology" to address "sophisticated interdisciplinary approaches to ongoing challenges related to local and global disparities, environmental and anthropogenic crises, human variation and health, as well as the resilience and vulnerability of human populations" 3 .
| Theoretical Framework | Key Principles | Research Implications |
|---|---|---|
| Extended Evolutionary Synthesis | Multiple inheritance systems; Niche construction; Developmental plasticity | Studies how cultural, genetic, and epigenetic factors interact in human evolution |
| Biocultural Paradigm | Rejects nature-culture dichotomy; Focuses on entanglement | Examines how social practices shape biology and vice versa |
| Four-Field Approach | Integrates biological, cultural, archaeological, linguistic anthropology | Provides comprehensive understanding of human phenomena across time and space |
| Methodological Pluralism | Values multiple research methods from different disciplines | Triangulates findings through ethnographic, experimental, observational, and survey methods |
Integrative anthropologists employ methodological pluralism, drawing on diverse research techniques from across the sciences and humanities. As the UCSB program notes, "methodological pluralism (e.g., ethnography, experiments, behavioral observation, surveys, GIS) will be necessary to tackle this century's complex problems" 4 .
Modern integrative anthropology leverages cutting-edge technologies from various fields. The Biobehavioral Health Laboratory at UCSB, for instance, "analyzes urinary, blood and salivary biomarkers of stress, nutritional status, infection, and hormonal status, as well as standard anthropometrics and energetics" 4 .
One compelling example of integrative anthropology in action comes from research on infant sleep practices. For decades, Western pediatric guidelines promoted solitary infant sleep as the safest and most developmentally appropriate practice. However, anthropological research has challenged this assumption by demonstrating the cultural specificity of these recommendations and their potential mismatch with human evolutionary adaptations.
| Sleep Practice | Western Biomedical Model | Integrative Perspective |
|---|---|---|
| Sleeping arrangement | Solitary sleep in separate room | Bedsharing or roomsharing as species-typical pattern |
| Feeding method | Scheduled feeding; Possible formula supplementation | Breastfeeding on cue; Frequent nighttime feeding |
| Response to awakening | Encourage self-soothing; Delayed response | Prompt response; Nursing back to sleep |
| Safety concerns | Focus on separation to prevent SIDS | Focus on proximity and responsiveness |
The results of these studies revealed fascinating physiological synchrony between cosleeping mothers and infants that appears to serve protective functions 5 . Compared to solitary-sleeping infants, cosleeping infants spent more time sleeping in the lighter, more responsive stages of sleep, experienced more frequent brief arousals, showed more stable heart rates and body temperatures, and breastfed approximately twice as often during the night.
| Physiological Parameter | Solitary-Sleeping Infants | Cosleeping Infants | Functional Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of time in deep sleep | Higher (≈30-40%) | Lower (≈20-30%) | More frequent arousals may protect against apnea |
| Number of nighttime feeds | 1-2 feeds per night | 3-4 feeds per night | Supports milk production; Promotes growth |
| Arousal synchrony with mother | Minimal synchrony | Significant synchrony | Coordinated sleep cycles; Protective vigilance |
| Heart rate variability | Less regulated | More stable | Enhanced physiological regulation |
Despite its promise, integrative anthropology faces significant challenges. Deep institutional structures—including academic departments, funding streams, and professional societies—often remain organized around traditional disciplinary boundaries. Anthropologists pursuing integrative work may face challenges in finding appropriate venues for publication, securing grant funding, and achieving professional recognition.
Several emerging research areas demonstrate particular promise for integrative anthropological approaches:
Integrating perspectives to understand how climate change affects human health and resilience 3
Examining how global economic processes become biologically embodied
Exploring bidirectional relationships between tech innovation and human evolution
Drawing on evolutionary theory to understand how to extend healthy human lifespan
Integrative anthropology raises important ethical considerations, particularly regarding the responsible use of genetic information, protection of vulnerable communities, and appropriate application of evolutionary perspectives to contemporary social issues.
Integrative anthropology represents more than just a methodological shift—it constitutes a fundamental rethinking of how to study a species that is simultaneously biological, cultural, symbolic, and historical. As Fuentes notes, "Any study of the world, including that of the human, is a move toward and into complexity not away from it" 2 .
The "disorderly becomings" of anthropologists who refuse to stay within traditional disciplinary boundaries reflects a larger intellectual journey toward understanding humans as dynamically biocultural beings.
By integrating insights from evolutionary theory, physiology, archaeology, ethnography, and many other fields, integrative anthropology offers a more complete and nuanced understanding of what makes us human—in all our magnificent, messy complexity.
References will be added here in the proper citation format.
Combines biological, cultural, archaeological perspectives
Rejects dichotomy in favor of biocultural entanglement
Infant sleep practices demonstrate integrative value
Addressing 21st century challenges through integration