Social Sciences
The study of people and organizations
Social science is one of the four disciplines that house many fields in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Social science fields study people, as individuals or groups, and their behavior across societies, economics, or organizations, emphasizing shared everyday life experiences.
Learn more about the social sciences and the unique ways each field approaches research and contributes to our understanding of the surrounding world.
Social science research characteristics
Social science research uses qualitative and/or quantitative methods to collect, organize, and analyze data.
Qualitative Social Science Research
Qualitative research describes research studies that collect verbal rather than numeric data and may come from individuals through interviews, observations, or texts. Examples of texts include official data and records, organizational or personal communication, documents and records, or the media. Texts are also examined in fields outside the social sciences, but they may be analyzed differently based on the research topics.
Qualitative research methods help researchers explain, describe, and understand human behavior from the participant’s point of view because researchers believe multiple social realities exist that may be studied and unpacked.
Qualitative researchers generally begin with a general topic and research questions, collect and organize data to find patterns, and use the information to answer questions about the studied social phenomena.
Since qualitative social science research is exploratory and does not involve testing or confirming a hypothesis, researchers often use inductive reasoning to organize and make sense of the data. In inductive research, the goal is to develop theories from the data. Researchers can formulate new theories that help generalize and predict human behaviors based on the patterns researchers observe in their studies. As a result, inductive research is known as theory-building research.
This is why scholars suggest that knowledge is created in qualitative social science research.
Examples of social science research may include ethnography (or observations) or interviews.
Quantitative Social Science Research
Quantitative research describes research studies that collect numeric data or cases where the data can be converted into numbers and measured. Quantitative research is used in social science and natural science research; however, the variables that make up the data or the data forms may look different and reflect distinct research areas.
In quantitative studies, the researcher usually begins with a hypothesis and aims to explore a relationship among measured variables because researchers believe there is an objective social reality that may be studied. This may include the researchers attempting to explain a relationship, predict a relationship, or control a relationship among the studied variables. By the end of the research, the researcher can confirm or reject the hypothesis they set out to test.
Since quantitative social science research generally involves testing or confirming a hypothesis, researchers often use deductive reasoning to organize and make sense of the data. In deductive reasoning, the goal is to use new data to test theoretical concepts and patterns. As a result, deductive research is known as theory-testing research because the findings may support, challenge, or improve the theory used in the study.
This is why scholars suggest that knowledge is discovered or observed in quantitative social science research.
Examples of quantitative social science research may include survey research and statistical analysis.
Fields of study in LAS
Below are the fields in LAS that belong to the social sciences. Select fields of interest to learn more and review the subfields or areas of specialization within a field. As you explore research areas, note themes or topics of interest and affiliated faculty to become familiar with their contributions to the field.
Anthropology
What is anthropology:
According to the LAS Anthropology Department, “Anthropology is the study of human cultural and biological diversity across time and space. It is the only discipline that approaches human questions holistically, using a combination of archaeological, historical, biological, linguistic, and cultural perspectives. Anthropology provides the skills to understand complex social issues, their causes, and potential solutions.” Read more: Anthropology | University of Illinois Chicago (uic.edu)
What do anthropologists study:
Research areas/subfields and faculty specialties: Subfields | Anthropology | University of Illinois Chicago (uic.edu)
For additional information on anthropology and what anthropologists do, visit the American Anthropological Association:
What is Anthropology? – The American Anthropological Association
Communication
What is communication?
According to the LAS Communication Department, communication explores “the role of communication, media, and technology in creating relationships within human societies. It offers a critical understanding of the ways that individuals, groups, and societies create meanings about their worlds through communication. The discipline encompasses interests in culture, society, politics, economics, history, and the arts, as seen through the distinctive lens of communication. That perspective emphasizes how communication establishes, sustains, and transforms interpersonal, institutional, and intercultural life.” Undergraduate Studies | Communication | University of Illinois Chicago (uic.edu) and Department of Communication < University of Illinois Chicago (uic.edu)
What do communication scholars study?
Research areas/subfields: Undergraduate Studies | Communication | University of Illinois Chicago (uic.edu)
Faculty and research areas/subfields*: Faculty | Communication | University of Illinois Chicago (uic.edu)
*Browse faculty profiles to learn about their research areas.
For additional information on communication and subfields, visit the National Communication Association:
What is Communication? | National Communication Association (natcom.org)
Criminology
What is criminology, law, and justice:
According to the LAS Criminology, Law, and Justice Department, criminology is “dedicated to all forms of academic inquiry under the broad umbrella of criminology, law and society, and the study of justice. Scholars critically examine various justice concerns while adhering to values of diversity, equity, and inclusion.” Read more: Undergraduate Studies | Criminology, Law and Justice | University of Illinois Chicago (uic.edu)
What do criminology, law, and justice scholars study:
Research areas/subfields: About | Criminology, Law and Justice | University of Illinois Chicago (uic.edu)
Faculty and research areas/subfields*: Faculty | Criminology, Law and Justice | University of Illinois Chicago (uic.edu)
*Browse faculty profiles to learn about their research areas.
Economics
What is economics:
According to the LAS Economics Department, “Economics is the study of how societies, governments, businesses, households, and individuals allocate their scarce resources. Our discipline has two important features. First, we develop conceptual models of behavior to predict responses to changes in policy and market conditions. Second, we use rigorous statistical analysis to investigate these changes.” It is the study of economic institutions using analytical tools and applied areas of economics, including mathematical and statistical techniques.” Read more: Why Economics? | Economics | University of Illinois Chicago (uic.edu) and Department of Economics < University of Illinois Chicago (uic.edu)
What do economists study:
Faculty and research areas/subfields*: Faculty | Economics | University of Illinois Chicago (uic.edu)
*Browse faculty profiles to learn about their research areas.
For additional information on economics and what economists do, visit the American Economic Association:
Political Science
What is political science?
According to the LAS Political Science Department, Political Science studies “political processes and outcomes, and examines, among other things, the relationships between law and political institutions, economic and political power, culture and identity. It uses analytical, interpretive and critical methods necessary to understand these relationships at the local, national, regional, and international level.”
“Political science is the systematic study of politics and its connection to human life as a whole. It focuses on the way people are governed and govern themselves in a wide variety of settings—including the state, the workplace, schools, and the family—and the way in which governance in those settings affects their life chances and shapes their sense of self. Students examine, among other things, the relationships between law and political institutions, economic and political power, and culture and political identity. They develop the analytical, interpretive, and critical methods necessary to understand these relationships at local, national, regional, or international levels, and thus, to act as responsible citizens at those levels.”
Read more: About | Political Science | University of Illinois Chicago (uic.edu) and Department of Economics < University of Illinois Chicago (uic.edu)
What do political scientists study:
Research areas/subfields and faculty specialties: Research | Political Science | University of Illinois Chicago (uic.edu)
Psychology
What is psychology:
According to the LAS Psychology Department, “Psychology aims to understand the complete human being across different levels of analysis that include the brain, the mind (cognitive and affective processes), the person (individual emotional and attitudinal patterns), the group and community (how members relate to each other and how individual group experience is impacted by cultural and community context).” Read more: Psychology | University of Illinois Chicago (uic.edu)
What do psychologists study:
Research areas/subfields: Graduate Studies | Psychology | University of Illinois Chicago (uic.edu)
Research areas/subfields and faculty specialties: By Program | Psychology | University of Illinois Chicago (uic.edu)
For additional information on psychology and the subfields, visit the American Psychology Association:
Sociology
What is sociology:
According to the LAS Sociology Department, “Sociology is the study of social life, including individuals, groups, organizations, institutions, and societies. Sociologists investigate the social causes and consequences of human behavior and interaction, such as inequality, poverty, discrimination, and urbanization. Sociologists are curious about what is going on in the social world and more importantly, why and how this matters for societies.” Read more: Getting a Major or Minor in Sociology | Sociology | University of Illinois Chicago (uic.edu)
What do sociologists study?
Research areas/subfields and faculty specialties: Social Inequality | Sociology | University of Illinois Chicago (uic.edu)
Sources
View the list of sources used to develop this resource.