How does psychology fit into the class of sciences known as the social sciences?

ksgirl0157 · 02-20-2008, 07:16 PM

And what are some other examples of social sciences?

I don't know what those are...
so any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks. (:

Blue Eyes · 02-20-2008, 07:17 PM

Based on some things I learned in Sociology in college...it is the study of the patterns associated with human behavior and mental illnesses..for example

we did a project on child abuse deaths and according to the article we had to read the majority were deaths caused by a step father (in most cases) who was usually on drugs...and they were usually blount force trama

it is more statistical data that they use to find patterns in certain human behavirs..in this case child abuse deaths
hope this gives some idea

Donna W · 02-20-2008, 07:17 PM

A good example would be the study of criminal behavior. Since our behavior is governed by our thoughts, and peoples behavior effects society; the two overlap. These are called the "soft sciences" compared to physics for example. There are statistical studys that feed conclusions about groups, and they get broken down and catagorized. Hence, the social sciences.

Irony · 02-20-2008, 07:19 PM

Sociology. Social science. Criminology.

I had the impression that social sciences were the study of SOCIETY and the way it interacts and its consequences on people etc. Whereas psychology is the way people react, which focuses on how the mind works and how this leads to the way in which we behave.

I am puzzled as to why psychology is under social sciences because I always thought it was a SCIENCE. Beause it incorporates biology into it.