The
Other Social Sciences
Social sciences concern people’s
relationships and interactions with one another. Sociology, with its emphasis
on social life, falls into this category. A multidisciplinary field, sociology
draws from a variety of other social sciences, including anthropology,
political science, psychology, and economics.
Anthropology
Anthropology concerns individual cultures in a society, rather than the society
as a whole. Traditionally, it focuses on what might be termed “primitive”
cultures, such as the Yanomamo people of the South American jungle, who live
much the same way they did hundreds of years ago. Anthropologists place special
emphasis on language, kinship patterns, and cultural artifacts.
Political
Science
Political science concerns the governments of
various societies. It considers what kind of government a society has, how it
formed, and how individuals attain positions of power within a particular
government. Political science also concerns the relation of people in a society
to whatever form of government they have.
Psychology
Psychology takes the individual out of his or
her social circumstances and examines the mental processes that occur within
that person. Psychologists study the human brain and how it functions,
considering issues such as memory, dreams, learning, and perception.
Economics
Economics focuses on the production and
distribution of society’s goods and services. Economists study why a society
chooses to produce what it does, how money is exchanged, and how people
interact and cooperate to produce goods.
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