1. Introduction to Anthropology, Psychology and Sociology
The Social Sciences

2. What are the Social Sciences?
The systematic studies of people, their activities and customs in relationships with others
Use research and analysis to examine human behaviour in order to understand why people act the way that they do
Subjects include history, geography, anthropology, psychology and sociology

3. How was the field created?
18th century – Age of Enlightenment
Leaders wanted to shine a “light” of reason on the world and eliminate the darkness of the Dark Age
Isaac Newton discovered law of gravity
This discovery led to the belief that reason and science could also be used to discover laws about humans and their behaviour

4. Philosophers such as John Locke & Thomas Hobbes concentrated on abstract moral criticisms of ignorance, intolerance, superstition and political oppression
Reason & observation became scientific cornerstone of 18th century – observation of social and individual behaviour became the job of social scientists

5. Example: Stress
Scientists, doctors will show the medical consequences of stress such as high blood pressure, heart attacks and death
Social scientists will analyze factors that lead to stress such as absenteeism, substance abuse

6. 3 Types of Social Sciences

7. Anthropology

8. The study of human beings as a species and as members of different cultures
Interested in:
Ways humans are similar to and different from other species
Biological development of humans over time
How culture shaped the way people lived in the past and how they live today
How certain factors in a culture that influence behaviour
Problems studied deal with the comparison of different cultures and societies

9. Psychology

10. The study of human behaviour and mental processes such as thinking, feeling, remembering & learning
Draws conclusions about how the individual behaves in social settings
Assumes an individual’s personality is shaped by a combination of biological factors & life experiences
Problems studied explore people’s actions in certain situations and as well as their emotions
Interested in :
The individual and why he/she behaves in a certain way
Nature vs. nurture

11. Sociology

12. The study of human social life, groups, origins and relationships in society
Examine:
-How membership in a group shapes our experiences of the world
-Actions and responses of individuals within a group in order to detect general patterns of human behaviour
-How categories (i.e. teens, male, female) we belong to shape our experiences of the world
Relationships between people and social structures

13. Examples Anthro Psych Socs -How chimps find food and make tools
-How families differ from culture to culture
- Personal problems
- How a person relates to his/her friends
-How a person’s group spends their spare time
-Education system