Holism is a distinctive approach in anthropology that involves studying the complete context of a society when conducting research. It is the perspective that assumes that mind, body, individuals, society, and the environment interpenetrate, and even define one another/01%3A_What_is_Anthropology/1.02%3A_Holism_in_Anthropology). Holism allows anthropologists to investigate how different aspects of a society, such as its environment, technology, economy, belief systems, family structure, and artistic expressions, interact and influence each other.

From a holistic perspective, attempts to divide reality into mind and matter isolate and pin down certain aspects of a process that, by very nature, resists isolation and dissection/01%3A_What_is_Anthropology/1.02%3A_Holism_in_Anthropology). Holism holds great appeal for those who seek a theory of human nature that is rich enough to do justice to its complex subject matter/01%3A_What_is_Anthropology/1.02%3A_Holism_in_Anthropology).

Holism is an essential perspective in cultural anthropology, which aims to understand the complex web of meanings, behaviors, and artifacts that characterize a society. The holistic perspective facilitates the study of religion, economics, social structure, politics, art, and other cultural aspects as interconnected parts of a society rather than as isolated phenomena. This approach provides a deeper and more nuanced understanding of cultural phenomena and their significance in society.

Holistic analysis considers not only how the various features of culture hold together but also how change in one feature can generate cascading changes among others. Often, anthropologists study the myriad aspects of human life, including cultural, biological, historical, and linguistic, and their interconnectedness to gain a comprehensive understanding of human behavior and society.

In summary, holism in anthropology is the approach that considers the complete context of a society when conducting research, and it allows anthropologists to investigate how different aspects of a society interact and influence each other. It is an essential perspective in cultural anthropology that provides a deeper and more nuanced understanding of cultural phenomena and their significance in society.