A brief recap of the different branches THE SOCIAL SCIENCES A brief recap of the different branches   The Origin of the Social Sciences Studying human beings and their interactions is a fairly recent phenomenon. Social sciences appeared during the 18th century. Came about during the “Age of Enlightenment” – a period in history where scientists and philosophers worked hard to uncover the mysteries of the world. They used observation and reason – not religion and superstition – to arrive at their theories. ANTHROPOLOGY The study of human life, throughout history. Physical anthropology strives to understand and define the physical or biological nature of human beings. People trained in this area have an extensive understanding of human anatomy. At the root of this discipline are the theories of Charles Darwin who wrote The Origin of Species in 1859. Explains his theory of evolution.

Cultural anthropology is the study of human beings in different cultural settings around the world. Culture is defined as a way of living learned over time, including knowledge, language, beliefs, art, morals, laws, and customs. Branches of cultural anthropology include linguistics and archaeology. Development of Anthropology The observation and recording of various cultures and customs was done as early as 450 BC. During the Enlightenment, philosophers such as David Hume and John Locke insisted that observation was the only way to make valid conclusions about the world. Until WWII (1939-1945), anthropologists mainly studied groups that had little or no contact with industrialized Western culture. Beginning in the 1970s, the focus of anthropology shifted from studying unknown, isolated communities to applying knowledge to modern-day problems. This is known as applied anthropology. Today many anthropologists work in the private sector doing market research or cross-cultural training for employees.

PSYCHOLOGY The scientific study of behavior and mental processes, and the factors that influence these processes. Generally, psychologists study individuals but group psychology is important especially in counseling. Many areas of study including biological, psychoanalytic, behavioral, cognitive, and humanistic.   Development of Psychology Ancient philosophers in Greece and China recorded observations about people and their behavior. Phrenology became popular in the early 19th century. Phrenologists believed that personality could be determined by bumps on the head. i.e. thieves were supposed to have large bumps above the ears. During the late 19th century, scientific studies of human thought and behavior began. Experiments were conducted with animals and theories of learning were proposed.

SOCIOLOGY The systematic study of human social life, groups, and societies. Sociologists study a wide range of topics such as organizations, social movements and collective behavior, gerontology, criminology, politics, culture, and religion. Generally, there are three points of view that dominate sociological theory.   Structural Functionalism views society as a machine that can only function properly if all of its various parts are in good working order. The parts are people, groups, and institutions within society. If any of the parts are not working properly, then the entire machine will eventually break down. Conflict theory expresses the view that power, not function holds a society together. Society is seen as groups of people acting in conflict or competition with one another for limited resources. Through this conflict and power struggle, change occurs. Symbolic Interactionism expresses the idea that people are internally motivated by what they have learned, not externally motivated by social or economic conditions. Society is a product of our everyday social interactions.

The Development of Sociology Sociological theories began to appear during the Enlightenment but were also influenced by the Industrial Revolution and the political changes that were taking place in Europe and America. The Industrial Revolution radically changed family life, working conditions, and living conditions. Increased social problems encouraged people to search for answers. The American Revolution and the French Revolution advocated ideas of freedom and radical changes in political systems. Early sociologists tried to offer suggestions of how to deal with such a rapidly changing society.