Intro to Social Science

• social science is the study of people as individuals and as members of groups such as families and communities
• anthropology is the study of human beings as a species and as members of different cultures
• anthropology has 2 main sections:

  • physical anthropology
  • cultural anthropology
• physical anthropology

  • how humans developed
  • how humans compare with other species
• cultural anthropology

  • how cultures shape the way people live in the past and now
• psychology is the study of human mental process and behaviour
• theoretical psychologists try to understand general rules that guide our thinking and behaviours
• clinical psychologists use this understanding to study individuals who are experiencing psychological problems
• sociology is the scientific study of people in groups