Typology in anthropology was the categorization of the human species by races, based solely on traits that are readily observable from a distance such as head shape, skin color, hair form, body build, and stature.
[1] The typological model was built on the assumption that humans can be assigned to a race based on similar physical traits.
However, author Dennis O'Neil says the typological model in anthropology is now thoroughly discredited.
[2] Current mainstream thinking is that the morphological traits are due to simple variations in specific regions, and are the effect of climatic selective pressures.
[3] This debate is covered in more detail in the article on race.