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W. H. R. Rivers  

Definition

  • William Halse Rivers Rivers (1864–1922) was a medical doctor, experimental psychologist, and pioneer of fieldwork methods, who became a key figure in the formative years of British social anthropology. Today, Rivers is most famous for his comparative work on sensory perception and for a series of experiments in neurophysiology with his colleague Henry Head; for his pioneering psychological treatment of traumatized officers during the First World War; for his contributions to kinship studies in the form of the “genealogical method” developed during fieldwork in India and the Pacific Islands; and for his role in establishing anthropology and psychology as professional fields. [Source: Theory in Social and Cultural Anthropology: An Encyclopedia; Rivers, W. H. R.]

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https://concepts.sagepub.com/social-science/concept/W._H._R._Rivers

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