The social sciences pertain to the academic study of human societies and human behavior within those societies. Some key aspects of human society that social sciences examine include social relationships, organizations, and individual actions. Core social science disciplines include anthropology, demography, economics, geography, history, linguistics, political science, psychology, and sociology. The social sciences provide insight into how society functions and seeks to further understanding of the world beyond immediate experience.

1. D E F I N I N G S O C I A L S C I E N C E S A S
T H E S T U D Y O F S O C I E T Y

2. In the broadest sense, the social
sciences pertain to major category of
academic discipline that deals with
the study of particular aspects of
human society and organization,
social relationships and individual
human behavior or action.

3. Direction: In the word hunt below, encircle the three words then write it on the short
line and make a brief description of the word on the long line

4. H I S T O R I C A L B A C KG R O U N D O F
S O C I A L S C I E N C E S Q U E X B O O K 2 0 1 8
The history of the social sciences began at the roots of ancient
philosophy. In ancient history, there was no difference between
Mathematics and the study of history, poetry or politics.The Age of
Enlightenment saw a revolution within natural philosophy, changing
the basic framework by which individuals understood what was
“scientific”.

5. Definitions of Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, and
Humanities Social Sciences Denhardt et al. (2009)
Social Sciences
A branch of science devoted to the study
of societies and the relationships among
individuals within those societies.

6. Natural Sciences
A major branch of science that deals with the
description, prediction and understanding of
natural phenomena, basically based on
observational and empirical evidence.
Definitions of Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, and
Humanities Social Sciences Denhardt et al. (2009)

7. T A B L E 1 : T W O M A I N B R A N C H E S O F N AT U R A L S C I E N C E
D E N H A R D T E T A L . ( 2 0 0 9 )

8. Humanities
- refers to the study of the ways in which the
human experience is processed and
documented.
- encompasses the field of philosophy,
literature, religion, art, music, history, and
language.
Definitions of Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, and
Humanities Social Sciences Denhardt et al. (2009)

9. S O C I A L
S C I E N C E S
Social science tells us how society works. It provides
a deeper understanding of the world beyond our
immediate experience.

11. Anthropology, Demography, Economics, Geography, History, Linguistics, Political
Science, Psychology, and Sociology are the nine social science disciplines.

12. A C C O R D I N G T O B A N A A G , 2 0 1 2 T H E
M E T H O D S O F C R E AT I N G H I S T O RY:

14. School of Psychology Proponents
Structuralism Wilhelm Wundt and Edward Titchener
Functionalism
John Dewey, James, Rowland Angell, and
Harvey Carr.
Founder: William James
Psychoanalytic Sigmund Freud
Behaviorism
John Watson and B.F.
Skinner
Cognitivism
Gestalt
Psychology
Max Wertheimer, Wolfgang Kohler, and Kurt Koffka