Each of the social sciences share a common purpose, which is to study societies and the people in them. Along with history, geography, political science, and economics, the social sciences also include related disciplines such as sociology, psychology, and anthropology.

Sociology

Sociology is among the broadest areas of the social sciences, having connections with fields such as psychology, political science, and economics, and comprising areas of studies "ranging from crime to religion, from the family to the state, from the divisions of race and social class to the shared beliefs of a common culture, and from social stability to radical change in whole societies" (What is sociology? 2019).

Click the link below for an overview of the purpose of sociology and its history.

https://www.asanet.org/sites/default/files/savvy/introtosociology/Documents/Field%20of%20sociology033108.htm

Psychology

"Psychologists are actively involved in studying and understanding mental processes, brain functions, and behavior" (What is psychology? 2019). Psychology is also about how this understanding can improve people's lives, communities, and the greater society. As a science, psychology is based on measurement and testing; as a practice, it is based on observation of human relationship and individual and group behavior. The Ohio State University lists several areas of psychology: clinical psychology which focuses on treatment of mood disorders; cognitive psychology concentrating on perception, attention, memory, choice, and language; decision science; quantitative psychology; and social psychology. "In essence, psychology studies individuals and groups to better understand how people, communities and societies function and ways to help them thrive" (What is psychology? n.d.).

Anthropology

Anthropology is the study of human behavior, cultures, and societies past and present. Its methods include fieldwork and archaeology, as well as interviews. "Today's anthropologists...can be found in corporations, all levels of government, educational institutions and non-profit associations. Anthropologists even work in disaster areas, including Ground Zero in New York and the Gulf Coast in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina" (What do anthropologists do? n.d.).

Click this link from the American Anthropological Association for an overview of the purpose and uses of anthropology and its four subfields.

https://www.americananthro.org/AdvanceYourCareer/Content.aspx?ItemNumber=2150