Online Research
This is where I write my insights on any news or articles that I find online that pertain towards anthropology!
Psychological Anthropology
I am taking an advanced topics psychology class right now. I am learning about memory and how it can be distorted through “fake stories” or hypnosis (which is not really important at the moment). I was thinking about this case that we are learning about where this man might have incorrectly identified the person who robbed their store. This brought up many questions on how in the past due to distortion of memory people have been wrongly accused and sent to prison. Anyways, when I was in my psychology class I was thinking about how our minds are capable of so much, which affects our connections with people. If our mind can take a story and distort it to the point where we actually believe false events happen, then these memories affect our thoughts and beliefs on certain people.
That started to make me think if psychology and anthropology were somehow connected in a way that marketing and anthropology go together which we previously discovered. There is a subfield in anthropology which is called “psychological anthropology.” This field is devoted to learning about the way people think which soon factors into the learning of cultures, identity, and expression.This field allows scientists to study the way in which people critically think or behave which could explain how some people act.
Overall, I just thought it was quite interesting how the science between our brains and thinking can have an effect on something like different cultures and human interaction, but I guess it makes sense because the brain is basically the “machine” on how people act. So, with further research in psychology it could tie into anthropology and learning about humans and their nature.

What Is so Important About Anthropology
Many wonder why one might major in anthropology or even decided to devote their entire lives to research this field. Anthropology doesn't seem like a big field that many are eager to jump into, but I am going to change your mind.
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Anthropology us such a big topic that covers language to the human mind. It basically allows us to view the world and see how humans have evolved to different cultures and beliefs. In the real world, if you have a deep awareness of how people think and connect in various times of history and the world, you will pick up on new strategies on how to better yourself and your thinking. These concepts will allow you to go far in life because you can approach certain jobs, obstacles, and more with this new critical thinking that someone who has not studied anthropology wouldn't be able to have. Yes, anthropology is about studying humans through time, but it is also a chance to totally revamp your way of thinking and awareness of the world.

Working in Schools in Thailand
When I was in Thailand I had the opportunity to teach at a Thai school. It was very insightful to observe the schools in Thailand since the only exposure to the cultures of schools I have had are the ones in America.
The first day entering the Thai school I was immediately brought to a parade for the holiday dedicated to banning alcohol and drugs in Thailand. This parade was not like the usual parades in America because it seemed to be solely students holding paper signs and hats with band music in the background. It surprised me that many different schools with groups of students all gathered in the middle of a park to partake in this parade. It was very different, but I enjoyed every part of this parade because I got the opportunity to witness these observations.
The second day visiting the Thai school I was able to experience the morning gathering where all the students sang the national anthem all together, and then sharing exciting news within the community. The gatherings at this school seemed a lot like the gathering at my school. Everyone would cheer with excitement when someone was shouted out for an academic or athletic achievement and then the rest would be some random news. One thing that caught me by surprise was that the last activity that would happen during the gathering was that the students would simultaneously chant their times table. It was so interesting to me how they integrated that in their gathering because at my school that time is usually to give us a break from studying and enjoy listening to achievements and amusing updates within the school.
Overall I enjoyed my experience because I had the chance to see what a school outside of America looks like!



Thailand 2023
(Recap)
This summer I decided to go on a service trip to Thailand for new experiences ad giving back to the community. I also do not travel much nowadays, so I wanted to gain awareness of other cultures rather than the one I experience every day.
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The first day I arrived in Thailand our group visited numerous temples. I thought it was so interesting that every corner we turned a whole new gigantic temple would appear. These beautiful buildings are so magnificent to us tourists, but to many people who live in Thailand it is a regular occurrence. It was so captivating to see all the minuscule yet significant architecture within these temples. Each temple had such distinctive colors and design, which made every single temple we visited special in its own way. I relished viewing all the intricate designs while scrutinizing the many people praying to Buddha. We learned the proper way to pray to Buddha and would occasionally pray to Buddha for good fortune.
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After the tiring days we always enjoyed a delicious meal. My favorite dish was the red curry because I was very fond of the creaminess of the coconut milk mixed with the spices of the red chili peppers. Many of the other dishes consisted of rice and chicken or noodles, soup, and other types of curry. The desserts were also very different from the desserts that I was used to. Many of the desserts consisted of a mochi textured dough mixed with certain fruits. One of my favorite desserts was mango sticky rice because it was refreshing and not too sweet.
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One of my favorite activities that we did during Thailand was shop at the late night markets. I enjoyed seeing all the home made clothes, jewelry, and knick knacks all displayed for sale. It was such a beautiful experience to see so many people buying and bargaining different items. The smells of homemade food flowing through the air was also delightful. The food at the market was one of the best meals I had during this trip. There were foods from beef to waffles to gyoza to noodles; the options were endless. By the end of our night at the market I was so stuffed.
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Overall, my experience of touring Thailand was great, but I had an even better time teaching children english while experiencing school life in Thailand and helping elephants in a sanctuary.




Anthropology in Relation With Marketing
Have you ever wondered how Anthropology can play a role in everyday life? Well, many do not know, but people have discovered that anthropology can actually play a significant role in marketing, which is used or viewed in everyday life.
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Nowadays, everyone is practically engulfed in marketing strategies wherever they go. Imagine taking a stroll down New York City and seeing all the huge billboards or windows of stores; you have just discovered marketing. Marketing is the way a business "exposes" their products to the public.
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I recently just finished an online course titled "Business Problem Solving" where I researched one branch of business for one week to essentially solve a real-world problem incorporating that branch. One unit of that class that stuck out to me was the marketing unit. I discovered the multitude of different marketing strategies that a business can use, while also unveiling my new comprehension of the importance of marketing within business. When I stumbled upon this idea of anthropologists working with marketers, I was at first confused on how they had any relation with one and another, but then when I researched more into this topic this collaboration seemed brilliant.
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Anthropologists research the interactions between people and also the different kinds of ways people think or act within a multitude of cultures. Anthropologists are able to tell marketers the kinds of ideas or topics they should incorporate in their advertisements according to the location based on different cultures. Marketers look at the data with their business to check if their marketing strategies are attracting customers. Their main goal is to continue to increase their consumer rates, and anthropologists are able to aid in this goal by sharing information about different religions, cultures, ages, sexual orientations to ultimately shift marketing strategies to pertain to different kinds of consumer behaviors. Recently, many schools have tried to incorporate classes that integrate anthropology within marketing. Bringing in anthropologists can change the face of marketing, which is why it is essential to recognize the value of this newly found integration of anthropology and marketing.
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Sites used: https://anthropology4u.com/how-can-cultural-anthropology-be-used-in-marketing/
https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/10033-cultural-anthropology-social-science-business.html
https://www.usf.edu/business/news/articles/161117-anthropology-marketing.aspx