Nature and Functions of Social Science Disciplines

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A set of vocabulary flashcards summarizing key terms and concepts from the lecture on social science disciplines, their nature, and functions.

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30 Terms

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Science

The systematic study of the physical and natural world through observation, experimentation, and theory-testing.

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Social Science

The scientific study of human society and social relationships.

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Anthropology

The scientific study of humans and their societies, past and present.

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Demography

The study of human populations and their dynamics.

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Economics

The study of rational human behavior in the endeavor to satisfy needs and wants through production, distribution, and consumption.

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Geography

The study of the relationships between Earth and its people, emphasizing spatial patterns and place characteristics.

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History

The study of past events and their records to understand human development over time.

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Linguistics

The scientific study of language, focusing on its structure, use, and development.

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Political Science

The study of political institutions, processes, behavior, and governance.

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Psychology

The scientific study of the mind, behavior, and mental processes of individuals.

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Sociology

The study of social groups, their formation, change, and influence on individual behavior.

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Positive Economics

A branch of economics that describes ‘what is’ without making value judgments.

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Normative Economics

A branch of economics that prescribes ‘what ought to be,’ involving value judgments and policy goals.

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Pure Science (in sociology)

Research aimed at acquiring knowledge without immediate concern for practical application.

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Applied Science

Research focused on applying scientific knowledge to solve practical problems.

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Positivism (historical method)

An approach that seeks accurate and comprehensive visions of the past through empirical sources while acknowledging human agency.

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Narrative Chronology

A historical method that constructs chronological stories where accidental events are emphasized over analysis.

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Biography-Hagiography

A ‘Great Men’ historical method focusing on individual agency through chronological narratives.

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Dialectics Analysis

A historical method where competing theses clash, producing syntheses that become new paradigms.

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Meta-Narrative/Total History

An Annales-inspired approach aiming to integrate long-, mid-, and short-term factors into comprehensive explanations of human history.

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Negativism (historical method)

An outlook that rejects human agency, sources, and empathetic understanding of the past.

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Structuralism (psychology)

The first school of psychology, aiming to break mental processes into basic elements via introspection.

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Functionalism (psychology)

A school that views mental life and behavior as adaptive functions helping individuals adjust to their environments.

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Psychoanalytic Theory

Freud’s school emphasizing the influence of the unconscious mind—id, ego, and superego—on behavior.

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Behaviorism

A psychological approach focusing on observable behavior explained by environmental factors and learning laws.

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Cognitivism

The branch of psychology studying mental processes such as thinking, memory, and perception.

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Gestalt Psychology

A school asserting that psychological phenomena are best understood as structured wholes rather than the sum of parts.

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Interdisciplinarity of Social Sciences

The idea that social science disciplines use varied methods and will not converge into a single unified theory of society.

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Household Management (oikonomia)

The Greek root of ‘economics,’ signifying the management of household resources.

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Spatial Interaction

A core concept in geography concerned with how and why objects, people, and ideas move across space.