As a generalization, psychology is the study of the human mind and micro-level or individual behavior; sociology examines human society; psychology focuses on mental and thought processes internal , whereas sociology focuses on human behavior external. Political science studies the governing of groups and countries; and economics concerns itself with the production and allocation of wealth in society. The use of scientific methods differentiates the social sciences from the humanities.
In ancient philosophy, there was no difference between science and humanities. Only with the development of mathematical proof did there gradually arise a perceived difference between scientific disciplines and the humanities or liberal arts. Thus, Aristotle studied planetary motion and poetry with the same methods; Plato mixed geometrical proofs with his demonstration on the state of intrinsic knowledge.
During the 17 th century, a revolution took place in what constituted science, particularly with the work of Isaac Newton in physics.
Fields like biology , chemistry , and physics use the scientific method to propose hypotheses and theories. Social scientists rely on similar methods, such as quantitative data analysis, to study society. The social sciences also share some of the same methodological approaches as those used in the humanities, like qualitative research.
Both the humanities and social sciences use analytical and interpretive approaches to learn more about the human world. The social sciences share some of the same methodological approaches as those used in the natural sciences and humanities.
However, the social sciences entail more quantitative and scientific methods. For example, economists rely on statistics and forecasting to understand trends, while political scientists use surveys and polling to track political changes. Despite these differences, many question whether certain fields — including psychology, economics, history, sociology, political science, and philosophy — fall under the umbrella of the humanities or social sciences.
Most colleges classify psychology as a social science. Psychology deals with the human mind and behavior, bridging the divide between social science and natural science. Psychology majors study human development, social behaviors, and emotions, which draw on social science methods.
Certain subfields align more with the social sciences than others. Social psychology, for instance, is more often considered a social science, whereas subfields like neuropsychology and biological psychology require stronger training in the physical sciences, leading many to categorize them as STEM subjects.
Economics is a social science focused on the economy and economic activities. Students majoring in economics study economic systems and how individuals and organizations produce and exchange goods.
Economists examine topics like the role of the government in shaping the economy, individual economic behaviors, and the distribution of goods and services. Both macroeconomics and microeconomics utilize social science tools to collect and analyze data, create data-backed projections and predictions, and understand supply and demand.
History falls somewhere between the social sciences and humanities. In the early 20th century, most historians considered their discipline a social science because they used — and still use — quantitative tools to understand the past.
In recent decades, however, a growing number of historians have begun to refer to their field as a humanities subject due to the fact that they study the history of culture and human values.
While many colleges today group the history department with other social sciences, some consider it a humanities field. Sociology is a social science focused on society and social institutions. In many ways, sociology was the first social science, since the discipline originally applied the scientific method to human society. Sociology majors study human societies to answer questions about social change, disorder in society, and social stratification.
Sociologists explore how social institutions shape individual behavior, societal evolution, and how organizations interact with one another. Most colleges consider philosophy a humanities subject rather than a social science. Philosophy emphasizes foundational questions about reality, human nature, and the relationship between mind and matter.
Philosophy majors use logic and critical theory to address topics such as morality, the external world, art, and objectivity. Many social science disciplines look to the principles of philosophy to try to understand human behavior, morality's impact on decision-making, and the development of social institutions.
Political science is a social science subject that involves the study of political institutions, government systems, and political behavior.
These scientists use qualitative and quantitative research to understand political trends and decision-making. In a political science degree program , students learn about the rise of political institutions, the law-making process, and the interactions between political powers. Some political scientists specialize in political theory, whereas others study international relations, comparative politics, or American politics. In the 19th century, French philosopher Auguste Comte argued that scholars should use scientific methods to analyze society.
Calling this new approach "sociology," Comte and his followers searched for laws of society that would meet the same scientific standards as the laws of nature. Today, many universities offer social science majors through their College of Arts and Sciences, and most require social science classes as part of their general education requirements.
Gen ed courses provide a breadth of training for students. Theoretical Sociology looks at the historical development of the society and tries to understand the social processes and changes accordingly. Practical Sociology , on the other hand, focuses on the practical side of the subject area.
There, the sociologists associate the theoretical principles in practical situations. Sociology varies from micro level studies, such as family, gender , social class etc.
Sociological knowledge can be considered indispensable in working with the humans because sociology deals with human behavior and nature.
Moreover, sociological theories can be applied to many kinds of other disciplines, such as Politics, History, Engineering, Medicine, etc. The beginning of social science goes back to the 18 th century, with the articles published by Rousseau and some other pioneers. Social Science is a vast study area which is focused on the human society.
There are many sub fields of Social Science. In a broader perspective, social science is an academic discipline concerned with the society and its relationships with individual members.
The research subject disciplines like Anthropology , Linguistics , and Archaeology , etc. Since almost all the sub disciplines use the scientific methods in order to investigate facts, Social Science can be defined as a scientific study field, as of natural sciences.
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