10 Questions
Which academic discipline was formerly used to refer to the field of sociology?
Anthropology
What do positivist social scientists use as tools for understanding society?
Methods resembling those of the natural sciences
In addition to sociology, social science now encompasses a wide array of academic disciplines. Which one of the following is NOT one of these disciplines?
Criminology
Which type of social scientists may use social critique or symbolic interpretation rather than constructing empirically falsifiable theories?
Interpretivist social scientists
In modern academic practice, what are researchers often in terms of methodologies?
Eclectic, using multiple methodologies
What is social science?
A systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about human behavior and social relationships.
What does an academic discipline entail?
Focused study in one academic field or profession.
Which of the following is an example of a discipline incorporated within social science?
Economics
What is the primary focus of social science?
Human behavior and social relationships.
What does social science encompass?
Scientific fields concerned with societies, human behavior, and social relationships.
Study Notes
Sociology and Social Science
- The field of sociology was formerly referred to as "social science" or "moral science".
- Positivist social scientists use empirical methods and statistical analysis as tools for understanding society.
Social Science Disciplines
- Social science encompasses a wide array of academic disciplines, including but not limited to anthropology, economics, geography, history, political science, and psychology.
- Philosophy is NOT one of the disciplines encompassed by social science.
Methodologies and Approaches
- Social scientists may employ various methodologies, including empiricism, social critique, and symbolic interpretation.
- Interpretivist social scientists may use social critique or symbolic interpretation rather than constructing empirically falsifiable theories.
Research and Focus
- Researchers are often eclectic in terms of methodologies, combining different approaches to understand social phenomena.
- The primary focus of social science is to understand human behavior, relationships, and institutions.
Discipline and Scope
- An academic discipline involves a specific systematic approach to studying a particular domain of knowledge.
- Social science encompasses various disciplines that study human behavior, relationships, and institutions at individual, group, and societal levels.
Test your knowledge of social science with this quiz covering sociology, anthropology, archaeology, and more. Explore the relationships and dynamics within societies while learning about the diverse disciplines that make up the field of social science.
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