What term describes the systematic study of human cultures?

The term that describes the systematic study of human cultures is anthropology. Anthropology encompasses a comprehensive examination of human societies, their behaviors, beliefs, and cultural practices. It seeks to understand the full scope of human experience across different environments, historical periods, and social contexts.

Anthropology incorporates various subfields, including cultural anthropology, which focuses specifically on the study of cultural variations among humans, highlighting how culture shapes human experiences and societal structures. This field employs various research methods, including ethnography, which is a specific technique within anthropology used to study cultural practices through immersive observation and participation in the lives of the people being studied.

While sociology also deals with social structures and relationships, it does so primarily within the context of modern industrial societies and often focuses on social institutions and their impact on human behavior. History, on the other hand, concentrates on past events and their narratives, rather than systematic cultural study. Therefore, anthropology stands out as the most fitting term for the systematic study of human cultures.