social science

American  

noun

1. the study of society and social behavior.

2. a science or field of study, as history, economics, etc., dealing with an aspect of society or forms of social activity.

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social science British  

noun

1. the study of society and of the relationship of individual members within society, including economics, history, political science, psychology, anthropology, and sociology

2. any of these subjects studied individually

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social science Scientific  

/ sō′shəl /

1. Any of various disciplines that study human society and social relationships, including sociology, psychology, anthropology, economics, political science, and history.

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social science Cultural  

1. The study of how groups of people behave, often in an effort to predict how they will behave in the future. The social sciences include economics, anthropology, sociology, political science, and aspects of psychology and history.

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Other Word Forms

• social scientist noun

Etymology

Origin of social science

First recorded in 1775–85

Example Sentences

The good news is that social science has answers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 30, 2025

“We have a history of social science framework that says we should use world life events as an opportunity to teach,” Thurmond said.

From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2025

But social science and psychology research presents a more nuanced picture of the emotions that drive action.

From Salon • Dec. 1, 2024

David Stillwell, professor of computational social science at Cambridge Judge Business School, agrees the stakes are high.

From BBC • Nov. 2, 2024

So, the highest of all our complex technologies in the hardest of our sciences will soon be engaged, full scale, in what is essentially biologic research—and with some aspects of social science, at that.

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas

Related Words

• business
• finance