SOCIAL SCIENCE DISCIPINE #6

Political Science– is the study of government, its structure and the activity associated with it. It is a body of knowledge
about the state in its various manifestations; Primarily studies human behavior in relation to political systems,
governments, laws, and international relations
Subfields:
 Domestic politics – studies public opinion, elections, national and local governments
 Comparative politics – studies politics within countries & analyzes the similarities & differences between /
among countries
 International Relations – focuses on the study of political relationship & interaction between & among countries
 Public administration – studies national and local governance and bureaucracy
 Public law – examines legal systems, civil rights, and criminal justice
SOCIAL SCIENCE DISCIPINE #7
Psychology– Studies how human mind works in consonance with the body to produce thoughts that lead to individual
actions
  *The terms thoughts, feelings, and behaviors include all of the  psychological  variables that are measurable in a human
being.
Subfields:
 Clinical psychology – interested in diagnosis, treatment and preventions of psychological disorders
 Experimental psychology – studies of humans & animals; examines how &why learning takes place
 Developmental psychology – studies the ways people change and behave as they go through their life
(conception to death)
 Forensic psychology – the point where legal system and psychology comes together; ex. determining the
accuracy of witness memories
 Personality psychology – studies human nature & differences among people
 Environmental psychology – studies the effects of surroundings on a person’s attitude & behavior
 Neuropsychology- the study of the structure and function of the brain as they relate to specific psychological
processes and behaviors -shares concepts and concerns with neuropsychiatry and behavioral neurology
SOCIAL SCIENCE DISCIPINE #8 & 9 Sociology and Demography
SOCIOLOGY - a scientific study of society and human behavior (in groups)
-the structure of groups, organizations, and societies,
-how people interact within these contexts.
Subfields:
 Applied sociology - focus on the use & properapplication of sociological theories, methods & skills to examine
data, solve problems & communicate research to the public
 Urban sociology – studies societal life interactions in urban areas through the application of sociological
methods like statistical analysis & ethnographies
 Cultural sociology – analyzes the development of social institutions, norms and practices
 Rural sociology – studies the social institutions, norms & practices
 Medical sociology – examines the societal aspectsof health and medicine of people
 Sociology of education – analyzes how social forces & institutions like politics, economic systems, & culture
affect schools and educational systems
 Political sociology – examines how social structure affects & influences politics
 Military sociology – is a sociological structure of the military organization, the different civilian & military
relationships, war experiences, and the use and control of force
DEMOGRAPHY is the study of human populations across time
-the study of the size, structure and distribution of populations
-how populations change over time due to births, deaths, migration, and aging.
Major subfield:
 Population studies or social demography-
analyze demographic data to define, explain, and foresee social phenomena. It also studies social-status
composition & population distribution