What are the 13 Branches of Social Science?

Social science is the study of how people interact with one another and the institutions in which they live. It is the study of human behavior and how it changes over time. It can be broken down into different branches. These branches are all closely related because they are all concerned with the human condition. This article will answer the question “what are the 13 branches of Social Science?”

What are the 13 Branches of Social Science?

The following are the 13 branches of Social Science:

• Archaeology
• Anthropology
• Communication Studies
• Criminology 
• Economics
• Education 
• History
• Human Geography
• Law
• Linguistics
• Politics
• Psychology
• Sociology

What is Social Science

Social science is the study of society and human behavior. It is an interdisciplinary field that draws from the fields of sociology, anthropology, psychology, economics, political science, geography, history, philosophy, and many more. 

The discipline includes the examination of how societies function and how they change. Social scientists are primarily concerned with how these changes influence individuals and groups in society. 

This field also studies how humans behave in society, how they relate to one another, and how people’s behavior changes over time. The 13 branches of social science and their definitions are found below.

Archaeology

Archaeology is the study of human history and prehistory through the discovery, excavation, and analysis of material remains. Archaeologists examine the past through a combination of fieldwork, which often involves excavations and surveys, and written sources, such as written accounts, artifacts, and architecture. 

Archaeologists focus on the patterns, trends, and major events in human culture, societies, and environments. They also try to learn more about the past by examining artifacts and the environments they were found in.

Anthropology

Anthropology is the study of humans and human culture. It is the scientific study of humankind’s relationship with its environment, and how humans change that environment. 

Anthropologists explore the history of cultures and their social, political, and economic structures, as well as how these cultures have changed over time. 

The discipline encompasses the scientific study of the human condition, particularly as it relates to the development of human culture. 

It is not a single academic field, but rather a broad and diverse array of topics and sub-disciplines, including archeology, biological anthropology, cultural anthropology, linguistics, and others.

Communication Studies

Communication studies are the study of how people communicate with each other and the effects that this communication has on society. 

It is a cross-disciplinary field that covers all aspects of human communication, including verbal and nonverbal communication, media and mass communication, interpersonal communication, and international communication.

Criminology 

Criminology is the scientific study of criminal law, criminal behavior, and the sociological factors that lead to crime. It is a social science that examines the nature of crime and deviance and looks for explanations for crime and its causes. 

Criminology combines three main scientific approaches: positivism, which focuses on empirical research and statistical analysis; structuralism, which focuses on the social structure that leads to crime; and cultural criminology, which looks at how people’s perceptions of crime influence their behavior. 

Criminology is one of the most popular fields of study in universities worldwide.  It is an academic discipline that uses scientific methods to study the nature, causes, prevention, and control of criminal behavior.

Economics

Economics is the study of how society produces, consumes, and distributes resources. It deals with the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. 

Economists try to understand how decisions are made, how economies grow, and how societies decide to allocate resources.

Economics is the social science that studies how individuals, corporations, governments, and societies interact to produce and distribute goods and services. 

It is a broad discipline that includes everything from accounting to urban planning. Economics helps us understand the world around us, and the factors that influence the economy. 

It helps us understand how to work with limited resources, allocate them effectively, and maximize their value. It also helps us understand how to make choices in our lives that will help us achieve our goals and live fulfilling lives.

Education 

Education is the theory and practice of teaching and learning and is the process by which individuals or groups acquire knowledge, competencies, values, attitudes, and behaviors in order to meet their needs and achieve their goals.

Education is the process of transmitting knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes to produce individuals who are knowledgeable, skilled, and have a value system that is conducive to their life goals. 

This process is done through instruction, which is most often done in classroom settings. Education is an important part of society because it helps people grow and develop their lives. Education is also a key tool for creating a better society.

History

History is a branch of social science that studies the evolution of human society and culture. It includes both the study of the development of past human societies and the study of the causes and effects of past events. The study of history helps us understand how cultures have changed over time and how they are similar or different from each other.

Human Geography

Human geography is the study of how people live and interact with each other in a given area. Human geography can also be defined as the study of human beings in relation to the natural world. 

Geographers study how people live in cities, how they move, how technology is changing, and how climate affects the way people live. Human geography is an interdisciplinary field, drawing from many different fields such as sociology, anthropology, economics, history, political science, and geography.

Law

Law is the system of rules and guidelines that govern behavior and relationships. It is an area of study that combines concepts of ethics, philosophy, and sociology. It is a system of rules for human conduct and interaction. 

The law can be broken down into different types of laws such as criminal, civil, international, or constitutional law. It is also important to know that there are many different types of laws that are not enforced by the government. These types of laws can be used in business, medicine, education, or any other type of organization.

Linguistics

Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. It is a broad field with many different sub-fields, such as phonetics, phonology, psycholinguistics, and sociolinguistics. 

Linguistics looks at language from different perspectives, including its use in oral, written, and sign languages. There are also different areas of linguistics, such as phonetics, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics.

Politics

Politics is the study of the processes by which societies or states govern themselves. It is the social science that studies how power is distributed and exercised in society. 

Politics is a key concept in understanding how societies are organized and change over time. It is often said that politics is about power, but this is only part of the story. 

Politicians and political scientists alike recognize that the exercise of power is shaped by other social forces, such as culture, religion, and the economy.

Psychology

Psychology is the study of behavior and the mind. The term comes from the Greek word “psyche” which means “soul” or “mind”. Psychology is the scientific study of how the mind works, how thoughts and feelings affect behavior, and how people deal with stress, anxiety, and other mental health issues. 

Psychology is also concerned with how these processes and behaviors related to each other and to society.

Sociology

Sociology is the study of human social interaction and society. It is the scientific study of social order and social systems, and how these are formed and change over time. 

This academic discipline is concerned with social groups, social networks, social movements, social institutions, the relationship between individuals and groups, and the effects of various institutions on society. 

It uses various methods of empirical inquiry, including research, statistics, and case studies. Sociology looks at social interactions and social groups, as well as social institutions such as government, business, religion, and the family.

Conclusion

Social science is a broad discipline that studies the social behavior of humans and other social animals. Social science is often referred to as “the science of society”. It is an interdisciplinary field that draws on multiple fields. Social science is an important field because it deals with the study of humans in their social and cultural contexts. This is a field that is constantly evolving and changing because of the changing social and cultural aspects of our world. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): What are the 13 Branches of Social Science?

What are some of the most important theories in social science?

The following are some of the most important theories in social science:

• Structuralism
• Rational choice theory 
• Critical theory
• Marxist theories

Is social science a good course?

Social science is a broad field of study that is made up of many different disciplines. It is the study of human beings and how they interact with each other and their surroundings. The course is not only interesting but is also very useful as it can teach you about human behavior, which is important for future careers.

Who are the people associated with social science?

• John Locke
• Margaret Mead
• John Stuart Mill
• Jean Piaget
• Plato
• Jean-Baptiste Say
• Alfred Schutz
• B.F. Skinner

Reference

Seligman, E. R. (1930). What are the social sciences. Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences, 1, 3-7.

Braudel, F. (1972). History and the social sciences. Economy and society in early modern Europe, 18, 725-53.

What are the major branches of social science?, find out the answer . Retrieved from https://www.airtract.com/question/What-are-the-major-branches-of-social-science 

What is Social Science? | Overview & Subjects. Retrieved from https://www.postgrad.com/subjects/social_sciences/overview/