soft science

American  

noun

1. any of the specialized fields or disciplines, as psychology, sociology, anthropology, or political science, that interpret human behavior, institutions, society, etc., on the basis of scientific investigations for which it may be difficult to establish strictly measurable criteria.

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soft science British  

noun

1. a science, such as sociology or anthropology, that deals with humans as its principle subject matter, and is therefore not generally considered to be based on rigorous experimentation

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Etymology

Origin of soft science

First recorded in 1965–70

Compare meaning

How does soft-science compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• hard science vs. soft science

Example Sentences

“There’s a lot of soft science of what makes a consumer feel like something is durable,” she told Grist.

From Salon

His alleged offense, Insel says, was focusing on the "soft science" of attachment rather than the "hard science" of motor control or visual processing.

From Salon

“It’s a soft science,” said Jamila Hodge, a former D.C. federal prosecutor who runs the Vera Institute program.

From Washington Post

“Compassion is no longer a ‘soft’ science.”

From Washington Post

Isn't the study of leadership a soft science?

From Scientific American