Armchair anthropologists primarily relied on what for their research?

Armchair anthropologists focused their research on materials collected by others rather than conducting fieldwork themselves. This approach involved analyzing existing reports, documents, and artifacts that were gathered and presented by travelers, missionaries, colonial officials, and other observers. By synthesizing this second-hand information, they developed theories about different cultures and societies. This method allowed them to formulate ideas about human behavior and cultural practices without engaging directly with the communities under study. This reliance on pre-existing materials reflects the limitations of their methodology and highlights a significant contrast to contemporary anthropological practice, which emphasizes immersive participation and direct observation as essential for understanding cultural contexts deeply.