1.5a How is Sociology Different from Other Disciplines or Majors?

A person might also wonder how sociology differs from other social sciences. There is a lot of overlap. It comes down to where each discipline directs its attention when understanding social life.

Psychology

Psychology is like sociology. However, there is an emphasis on the human brain and cognition. Psychologists study the relationship between the human mind and human behavior. Psychologists focus more on the individual, whereas sociologists emphasize the group and social structure. 

Anthropology

Anthropology is also closely related to sociology. Anthropologists study human societies and behavior in both the past and the present. In contrast, sociologists attend more to a specific moment in time and are less likely to actively study past societies. Anthropology has two main subfields: cultural anthropology and biological anthropology. Cultural anthropologists overlap in their perspective and tools of study with sociologists. Biological anthropologists consider genetics, evolution, and other biological characteristics of humans and their relatives.

History

History is the study of the past. Historians study how events shaped social life and contributed to current events. Historians document the details of the past to construct a historical record of the past. Sociologists may use history to study present-day social life, but history is not usually the primary consideration.

Political Science

Political Science examines government and politics. Political scientists study how governments work. Some sociologists study political systems but attend to how they interact with the social group.

Economics

Economics centers on the production and consumption of goods and services. Sociologists also study economic issues but focus on how an economic system influences stratification in a society. 

Criminology and Criminal Justice

Criminology is the study of crime and those parts of social life related to crime, like why people commit crimes. Criminal justice scholars examine the criminal justice system. Sociologists also study crime, criminal behavior, and criminal justice. However, sociologists examine how social groups influences crime issues and how the criminal justice system impacts social group life.  

Geography

Geography focuses on the physical or natural environment and the social environment. Geographers study how physical and social environments interact. In contrast, sociologists typically focus only on the human-built environment.

Communications

Communications draw on psychology and sociology. Communications researchers investigate interpersonal communication and media communication. Media communication includes television, social media, radio, podcasts, and so on. Sociologists study the media but do not typically train students how to work in media industries.

If a student is interested in any social sciences, sociology may be a great fit. The discipline draws on other social sciences and allows students to explore a range of interests in social phenomena.