1. ANTHROPOLOGY
Anthropology, the study of all aspects of human life and culture. Anthropology examines such
topics as how people live, what they think, what they produce, and how they interact with their
environments. Anthropologists try to understand the full range of human diversity as well as
what all people share in common.
PSYCHOLOGY
Psychology, the scientific study of behavior and the mind. This definition contains three
elements. The first is that psychology is a scientific enterprise that obtains knowledge through
systematic and objective methods of observation and experimentation. Second is that RELIGION
psychologists study behavior, which refers to any action or reaction that can be measured or
observed—such as the blink of an eye, an increase in heart rate, or the unruly violence that often
erupts in a mob. Third is that psychologists study the mind, which refers to both conscious and
unconscious mental states. These states cannot actually be seen, only inferred from observable
behavior.
RELIGION
, sacred engagement with that which is believed to be a spiritual reality. Religion is a worldwide
phenomenon that has played a part in all human culture and so is a much broader, more complex
category than the set of beliefs or practices found in any single religious tradition. An adequate
understanding of religion must take into account its distinctive qualities and patterns as a form of
human experience, as well as the similarities and differences in religions across human cultures.
SOCIOLOGY
Sociology, the scientific study of human social relations or group life. Other disciplines within
the social sciences—including economics, political science, anthropology, and psychology—are
also concerned with topics that fall within the scope of human society. Sociologists examine the
ways in which social structures and institutions—such as class, family, community, and power—
and social problems—such as crime and abuse—influence society.
Social interaction, or the
HISTORY
. beliefs and worship: people's beliefs and opinions concerning the existence, nature, and worship of a deity or
deities, and divine involvement in the universe and human life
2. system: an institutionalized or personal system of beliefs and practices relating to the divine
3. personal beliefs or values: a set of strongly-held beliefs, values, and attitudes that somebody lives by
4. obsession: an object, practice, cause, or activity that somebody is completely devoted to or obsessed by