Final answer:
It is true that native anthropologists can be influenced by the politics of the group they are studying, potentially leading to biases in their research. The historical tendency for anthropological work to be influenced by the researcher's own culture emphasizes the need for an emic perspective and recognition of potential biases.
Step-by-step explanation:
It is true that native anthropologists are uniquely susceptible to the politics of the group they are studying affecting their research. This susceptibility emerges because researchers may carry intrinsic biases shaped by their own cultural backgrounds, personal experiences, and positionalities within the social and political hierarchies of the societies they study. This can lead to an ethnocentric perspective, where one judges a culture according to the standards and beliefs of their own culture. Alternatively, the goal is to adopt an emic perspective, integrating the viewpoints of the people being studied. Feminist anthropology is one attempt to address biases within the field.
Previous researchers, primarily White male scholars, often interpreted findings through lenses that represented significant interpretive bias. These researchers, who have historically seen the non-Western world through a colonial lens, may have altered their findings to fit stereotypes or confirm preconceived notions. Importance is now placed on comparing historical accounts, such as those developed by anthropologists, with indigenous knowledge systems, to promote accurate cultural and political understanding.