Multiple choice. Choose the letter of the correct answer.

Write the chosen letter on a separate sheet of paper.

1. A branch of science devoted to the study of

societies and the relationships among individuals
within those societies.

a. Anthropology c. Natural sciences

b. Humanities d. Social sciences
2. It refers to the study of the ways in which
the human experience is processed and
documented.

a. Anthropology c. Natural sciences

b. Humanities d. Social sciences
3. A major branch of science that deals with the
description, prediction and understanding of
natural phenomena, basically based on
observational and empirical evidence.

a. Anthropology c. Natural sciences

b. Humanities d. Social sciences
4. Who gave the first general theory of
social sciences?

a. Auguste Comte c. Karl Marx

b. Charles Darwin d. Lawrence Kempton
5. In this stage, the social sciences has
become institutionalized to a high degree.
It has now become a subject of research.

a.17th centuryc. 19th century

b. Middle of 18th century d. 20th century
6. In this stage, social sciences had
attained in all the leading European
countries a firm and respectable position.

a.17th centuryc. 19th century

b. Middle of 18th century d. 20th century
7. In this period, the capitalism had begun
to outgrow its early state and gradually it
became the dominant socio-economic
system in western and northern Europe.

a. 17th Century c. 19th Century

b. Middle of 18th Century d. 20th Century
8. When did the revival of interest in social
science occurred?

a. 17th Century c. 19th Century

b. Middle of 18th Century d. 20th Century
9. He was the first to systematize and
give a complete analysis on the
principles of the positive character of the
social sciences.

a. Auguste Comte c. Karl Marx

b. Charles Darwin d. Lawrence Kempton
10. In his article entitled, “Social Sciences
Today”, he said that social science as science
is very young and there is confusion with
regards to its limits and boundaries.

a. Auguste Comte c. Karl Marx

b. Charles Darwin d. Lawrence Kempton
11. Which of the following are the branches of
natural sciences?

a. Anthropology, Biology, and Chemistry

b. Biology, Earth Science, and Physical
c. Biology, Economics, and Sociology
d. Economics, Sociology and Physical
12. The __________ which begun with
Nicolaus Copernicus refers to the historical
changes in thought and belief.

a. Industrial revolution c. Scientific revolution

b. Information revolution d. Technological revolution
13. Which of the following is the aim of natural
science?
a. To discover the laws that rules the world
b. To describe the physical reality of the world
we live in
c. To utilize the principles of science for the
benefit of mankind
d. All of the above
14. The following are the definitions of humanities EXCEPT ONE.

a. Humanities is the study of human culture with particular

emphasis on the liberal arts.
b. Humanities is the study of human mind and its functions,
especially those affecting behavior in a given context.
c. Humanities is the study of human culture with particular
emphasis on individual philosophic self - expressions.
d. Humanities is the study of human culture with particular
emphasis on the cultural implications of the natural
sciences, social sciences and professions.
15. Which among the following is the reason why
people need the field of social science.

a. Social sciences can help us make sense of our

finances.
b. Social sciences can broaden your horizon.
c. Social scientist help imagine alternative figures.
d. All of the above
 E A ND F U N C T IO N S
NATU R
OF S O C I A L
I E NC ES D IS CI P LI N E
S C
OBJECTIVES

Define the nine disciplines of social

sciences; and
Identify the natures and functions of each
disciplines.
INTRODUCING THE DISCIPLINES WITHIN
THE SOCIAL SCIENCES

•Social science tells us how society works.

• It provides a deeper understanding about the world
beyond our immediate experience.
• It tells us that everything is interconnected, that the labor
of yesterday can be the fruits of today and that the actions
of today will have an impact in the future of humanity.
Direction: Fill out a
concept map showing
the definition of social
science as a study of
society. Write your
answer on the separate
paper. Use the example
below as your
reference.
 •Social sciences consist of a variety of disciplines, subject
areas, and methods, and there is no reason to expect that these
disciplines will eventually add up to a single unified theory of
society. Political science, sociology, history, anthropology,
economics, geography, and area studies all provide their own,
largely independent, definitions of scope, research agenda, and
research methods.

•Furthermore, there is no grand plan according to which the

disciplinary definitions jointly capture all that is of scientific
interest about the social.
Nine Social Science Disciplines.
1.Anthropology 6.Linguistics
2.Demography 7.Political Science
3.Economics 8.Psychology
4.Geography 9.Sociology
5.History
 ETYMOLOGIES OF SOCIAL SCIENCE
DISCIPLINES AND DEFINITIONS
Social Science
Etymologies Definitions
Disciplines
“anthopos” (human), Scientific study of man or human being and
Anthropology “logos” (study of) their societies in the past and present
“demos” (people), Study of human population and dynamics
Demography “graphein” (description)
Study of what constitutes rational human
“oikanomia” (household
behavior in the endeavor to fulfill needs and
management)
Economics wants
“geo” (Earth), Deals with the study of the relationship between
Geography “graphein”(description) the earth and people
“lingua” (tongue, language) Study of languages and focuses on the three
Linguistics aspects of language
ETYMOLOGIES OF SOCIAL SCIENCE
DISCIPLINES AND DEFINITIONS
Social Science
Disciplines Etymologies Definitions
“histoire” (recorded and The study of the past and its records about events.
History documented events)
“politika,” “polis” (affairs of Deals with the system of
Political Science the cities) governance
“psyche” (mind), Scientific study of the mind and behavior
Psychology “logos” (study of)
Study of groups - how they are formed, how they
“socius” (people together, change, and how the group impacts individual
Sociology
associate), “logos” (study of) behavior
FUNCTION OF SOCIAL SCIENCE DISCIPLINES
Disciplines Function
Essentially to understand as many aspects of human life as can possibly be
studied, to record its findings, and contribute to both historical understanding
Anthropology
as well as to ascertain current states of the human condition in an attempt to
better understand and/or act upon those findings. (Fethe, 2017)
To understand basic physical systems that affect everyday life (e.g. earth-sun
relationships, water cycles, wind and ocean currents). To learn the location of
places and the physical and cultural characteristics of those places in order to
Geography
function more effectively in our increasingly
interdependent world. (Bonnett, 2008)

A useful for work. Its study helps create good businesspeople, professionals,
and political leaders. The number of explicit professional jobs for historians is
History
considerable, but most people who study history do not become professional
historians. (Evans, 2001)
FUNCTION OF SOCIAL SCIENCE DISCIPLINES
Disciplines Function
Can study society with a wide variety of focuses. From studying the power elite,
to the interaction of the economy, society and the environment, to the
Sociology
examination of various rights movements, Sociology examines the way different
aspects of society behave and function. (San Juan, 2011)
A social study concerning the allocation and transfer of power in decision
making, the roles and systems of governance including governments and
Political Science international organizations, political behavior and public policies. (Mortel et al.
2003)

The three most important functions of economics are as follows: Just as feeding,
digestion and growth are the vital processes of living beings; similarly
Economics
production, consumption and growth are the essentials of economies. (Leaňo,
2012)
FUNCTION OF SOCIAL SCIENCE DISCIPLINES
Disciplines Function
Refer to the general social uses of language, such as requesting objects and
activities, initiating social interactions, expressing personal feelings, describing
Linguistics
aspects of the world, requesting information, and pretending.
(Bernardez, 2013)
To know the population of a particular area;
To ascertain as to which factors are influencing the
Demography population of that particular area;
To explain the factors relating to changes in population; and To study the
population trends on the basis of the above three factors.
According to earlier psychologists, the function of psychology was to study the
nature, origin and destiny of the human soul. But soul is something
Psychology
metaphysical. It cannot be seen, observed and touched and we cannot make
scientific experiments in soul. (Kendra, 2020)
NATURE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE DISCIPLINES

Anthropology
• The aim of modern social anthropology is just not to study human society but also to
understand the complex issues of modern human life.
• Anthropologists not only deal with the study of these problems but also try to find out
a solution for this.
• As primitive people have been the focus of anthropological study, the problems faced
by these people in the process of development in modern days become very important
for the anthropologists to study.
• Developmental anthropology and Action anthropology etc. are the specialized fields
within social anthropology which deal with such problems.
• Therefore, we can say that the scope and aim of social anthropology go together; one
influences the other. As much as the scope increases a new aim comes out of it.
NATURE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE DISCIPLINES

Geography
• Geography is concerned to provide an accurate, orderly, and rational description of the
variable character of the earth's surface“
• Understandably this characterization has not been universally accepted, and others
have suggested terms such as "areal differentiation," and "spatial interaction" as better
expressing the core of geography.
• It has been seen as more skin to history than to the systematic sciences (physics,
chemistry, biology, geology, meteorology, etc.) in that it has no body of material
peculiar to itself, but rather adopts a point of view.
• But subjects studied by some geographers, such as map projections, are highly
"scientific."
NATURE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE DISCIPLINES

HISTORY
A study of the present in the light of the past: The present has evolved out of the past.

Modern history enables us to understand how society has come to its present form so
that one may intelligently interpret the sequence of events.

History is the study of man: History deals with man’s struggle through the ages.
History is not static.
By selecting “innumerable biographies” and presenting their lives in the appropriate
social context and the ideas in the human context, we understand the sweep of
events.
It traces the fascinating story of how man has developed through the ages, how man
has studied to use and control his environment and how the present institutions
have grown out of the past.
NATURE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE DISCIPLINES

SOCIOLOGY
Sociology is an independent science: Sociology is not treated and studied as a branch of any
other science like philosophy, history. Now it has emerged into an independent science. As an
independent science it has its own field of study.

Sociology is a social science and not a physical science: All the sciences are divided into two
categories: natural sciences and social sciences.

Natural sciences study physical phenomena where as social sciences study social phenomena.
Social sciences include Economics, Political Science, and Anthropology etc.

Sociology is a general science and not a special social science: The area of inquiry of Sociology
is general and not specialized. Social sciences like Political Science, History, Economics, etc.
study human
NATURE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE DISCIPLINES

POLITICAL SCIENCE
• Politics is not only a mere institution of governance but also a mechanism for achieving societal goals.

• Political Science is thus a study of the state in the past, present, and future;

• Study of Political organization, political processes and political fun

• Study of Political Institutions and Political Theories.

Study of several subfields: Political Theory.

NATURE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE DISCIPLINES

ECONOMICS
• Economics is a science: Science is an organized branch of knowledge that analyses cause and effect
relationship between economic agents.

Positive Economics: A positive science is one that studies the relationship between two variables
but does not give any value judgment, i.e. it states ‘what is’. It deals with facts about the entire
economy.
Economics is an art: Art is a discipline that expresses the way things are to be done, so as to
achieve the desired end.
NATURE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE DISCIPLINES

LINGUISTICS
An academic discipline – a body of knowledge given to—or received by—a disciple (student); a
branch or sphere of knowledge, or field of study, that an individual has chosen to specialize
in.
A field of science – a widely recognized category of specialized expertise within science,
embodying its own terminology, nomenclature, and scientific journals.

A social science – a field of academic scholarship that explores aspects of human societies
related to the languages they speak.
NATURE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE DISCIPLINES

PSYCHOLOGY
Psychology is the scientific study and practical application of observable behavior and mental
processes of organisms.

Psychology is less a science of reported findings, it attempts asks and answers questions using
observable behavior and what can be determined as mental processes of the subject.

The symbol for psychology is the Greek letter “psi” (Ø). The subject matter of psychology is,
affect, behavior, and cognition.