Understanding Social Science: An Easy Short Explanation
So, what’s the deal with social science? Well, it’s like the study of how we humans roll in society — you know, how we grow, function, and get along with each other. Unlike science classes dealing with cells and chemicals, social science dives into the nitty-gritty of our everyday lives. Ever wondered why people fall in love or why some folks end up doing not-so-great things? Social scientists use cool methods to figure that stuff out.
Picture this: instead of just thinking about ideas, they go out and observe and measure things that are happening. For example, they might look at the connection between foreign aid and conflicts in developing countries by studying real cases that have gone down.
Exciting, right? Social science isn’t just about filling your brain with knowledge — it’s also super useful for governments and organizations to understand how people tick.
Now, let’s break it down a bit more.
The Social Sciences Focus
So, what do social scientists care about? Well, they’re into understanding how our relationships change, how we interpret past events, and how culture, biology, and physical stuff all mix. They dig into basic social systems, institutions, and processes. It’s like they’re trying to unravel the mysteries of how we connect and the world around us.
Origin and Development of Social Science
Back in the day, around the 19th century, the term ‘social science’ started gaining popularity in Europe. It continued evolving throughout the 20th century with big shots like Auguste Comte, who inspired other scholars like Emile Durkheim and Karl Marx. But here’s the thing — social science is still kind of a young science, and folks are still figuring out its limits and boundaries.
Scientific Methods in Social Science
Now, how do social scientists do their thing? First off, they need a society that’s cool with having certain attitudes. Then, they use this thing called the scientific method, which is just a fancy way of saying they believe the world works in an orderly way, thanks to cause and effect. They do experiments, but it’s not as easy as in a lab — life is messy, you know?
Stages of Social Science Research
When social scientists are on the case, they go through stages, like observing, defining problems, checking out what others have found (literature review), developing theories, and testing ideas. It’s like detective work but with ideas and data.
Approaches and Methods in Social Science
Now, there are different ways social scientists go about things. They have approaches like functionalism, exchange theory, conflict theory, and symbolic interaction theory. Think of approaches as their big-picture strategy. Then there are methods like looking at history, specific cases, and comparing stuff from different cultures. Methods are the specific tools they use to get the job done.
Social Science and Society
Here’s a twist — social sciences aren’t so much about what society should do but more about how we can achieve our goals. Social scientists help us understand the problems, the challenges, and what steps we can take to fix things.
Three Major Perspectives of Sociology
Finally, when it comes to studying society, there are three big perspectives. Functionalism sees society as a complex system with shared values, norms, and slow changes. Conflict theory says society is all about the struggle for resources and power, with change happening whether we like it or not. Symbolic interactionism zooms in on how we humans interact on a personal level — our shared symbols, gestures, and how we see ourselves and society.
So, social science isn’t just about books and theories — it’s about understanding people, relationships, and the world we live in.
Reference
Hunt, E. F., & Colander, D. C. (2011). Social science: An introduction to the study of society (14th ed). Pearson Education/Allyn & Bacon.
Newsome, B. (2016). An introduction to research, analysis, and writing: Practical skills for social science students. Sage.
