Which of the following best characterizes phrenology?

Phrenology is best characterized by the examination of skull features to determine character. This historical field posits that the shape and contours of a person’s skull can reflect their personality traits and intellectual capabilities. The belief was that different areas of the brain correspond to different mental faculties, and by measuring bumps and indentations on the skull, practitioners claimed they could gain insights into an individual's character and mental abilities.

This concept emerged in the early 19th century and was used to justify various social theories, although it has since been discredited as a pseudoscience. The focus on skull examination established phrenology as a unique approach that distinguished it from other fields like psychology, which deals with mental processes and behavior more holistically and scientifically. Other options, like examining brain functions through behavior or analyzing genetic links, reflect more modern scientific approaches and methodologies that are quite different from the foundational ideas presented in phrenology.