Final answer:
Margaret Mead was a notable cultural anthropologist who challenged conventional ideas about gender roles and sexuality through her research and writing, which included fieldwork in several societies and use of visual media. Her contributions opened up new perspectives, especially on women's roles in anthropological studies.
Step-by-step explanation:
Margaret Mead's talent for blending fieldwork with dynamic writing about gender roles, sexuality, and widely varying family structures and relations gave her the authority and opportunity to become an important cultural anthropologist. Mead conducted research in several societies in New Guinea and her work, including books such as 'Sex and Temperament in Three Primitive Societies' and 'Coming of Age in Samoa', significantly shaped the understanding of gender and sexual socialization. By challenging prevailing notions of gender behavior being biologically determined, Mead's findings suggested that these behaviors are culturally constructed and can vary widely between societies. As an early pioneer in using visual media for anthropological research, Mead, along with colleague Gregory Bateson, took extensive photographs and films to study social life. In her career, Margaret Mead also became known for her role in expanding the focus of anthropological inquiry to consider women's perspectives and contributions within societies. Her work laid groundwork for later feminist anthropologists and helped to challenge biases in the field.