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Social science is one of the branches of science, devoted to the study of societies and the relationships among members within those societies. The term was formerly used to refer to the field of sociology, the original "science of society", established in the 18th century. In addition to sociology, it now encompasses a wide array of academic disciplines, including anthropology, archaeology, economics, geography, linguistics, management, communication studies, psychology, culturology and political science.[1]
Positivist social scientists use methods resembling those used in the natural sciences as tools for understanding societies, and so define science in its stricter modern sense. Interpretivist or speculative social scientists, by contrast, may use social critique or symbolic interpretation rather than constructing empirically falsifiable theories, and thus treat science in its broader sense.[2] In modern academic practice, researchers are often eclectic, using multiple methodologies (for instance, by combining both quantitative and qualitative research).[3] The term social research has also acquired a degree of autonomy as practitioners from various disciplines share similar goals and methods.[4]
- ^ "Social science: History, Disciplines, Future Development, & Facts". Britannica. April 27, 2023.
- ^ Little, William (November 6, 2014). "1". Introduction to Sociology – 1st Canadian Edition. BCampus.
- ^ Timans, Rob; Wouters, Paul; Heilbron, Johan (April 1, 2019). "Mixed methods research: what it is and what it could be". Theory and Society. 48 (2): 193–216. doi:10.1007/s11186-019-09345-5. hdl:1887/78033. ISSN 1573-7853.
- ^ Bhattacherjee, Anol (2012). Social Science Research: Principles, Methods, and Practices. University of South Florida.