Final answer:
Economists assume rational decision-making guided by the profit motive, while anthropologists consider cultural and social influences on economic behavior, recognizing that profit is not a universal motive.
Step-by-step explanation:
Economists tend to assume that producers and distributors make decisions rationally by using the profit motive. However, this assumption is not universal as anthropologists recognize that different cultures and societies may have varying motivations influencing their economic decisions. Economists tend toward universalism, seeking to find universal principles that govern economic activities and viewing individuals as self-interested, rational actors within market systems. They employ statistics to analyze market activities and devise policies to promote economic growth or mitigate inequality. Conversely, anthropologists adopt a human-centered approach, exploring how people's cultural and social contexts shape their economic activities, acknowledging the variety of modes of subsistence such as gathering-hunting, pastoralism, plant cultivation, and industrialism, and understanding economic issues through the lens of humans' diverse practices and beliefs.