When people hear the terms social sciences and social studies, they think they mean the same thing because they both deal with people and society.
However, social sciences are broad, research-based academic fields that study human behavior, relationships, and institutions.
The five core fields of social sciences include anthropology, economics, political science, psychology, and sociology.
Social studies, on the other hand, is a subject taught in schools that takes information from these disciplines and simplifies it so that students can understand and apply it to daily life.
In short, one produces knowledge, while the other passes it down.
Differences Between Social Sciences and Social Studies
Social sciences and social studies are connected, but not interchangeable. Let us talk about their differences.
Social Studies Passes Down Knowledge Discovered in Social Sciences
Social sciences work to create theories, test ideas, and analyze data about how humans behave and how societies function.
Social studies, however, takes this knowledge and passes it on to students in schools in a simplified way. It is educational, not investigative.
Social Studies Combines the Separate Social Science Fields
Each branch of social science stands alone: Sociology for society, psychology for human behavior, economics for the economy, and the list goes on.
Social studies combines parts of all these fields into one subject; a social studies textbook includes lessons on politics, economics, and more.
It may lack the depth of each individual field, but it provides a well-rounded understanding of society, which is the main goal at the school level.
Social Studies Shapes Good Citizens Using the Findings in Social Sciences
One of the biggest goals of social studies is to create informed, responsible, and active citizens. Schools want them to use the knowledge in real life.
Civic responsibility is the duty of citizens to actively contribute to the well-being of their community through informed actions.
The point is to encourage them to think critically, respect differences, and understand their rights and responsibilities.
It is less about discovering something new, but about applying what is known.
Social Studies Is Taught in Basic Education While Social Sciences Are in College
Another key difference is the level at which each is taught.
Social studies is usually part of the curriculum in basic education. The focus is on preparing students to function responsibly in the community.
Meanwhile, social sciences are studied at the college or university level.
At this stage, students choose a specific discipline and dive deeper into theories, research methods, and advanced knowledge.
They may even conduct their own research.
Social Sciences and Social Studies Are Related But Not Interchangeable
Both deal with society and human behavior, so it is easy to assume that social sciences and social studies are two names for the same thing.
In fact, I was interchanging them before because when I searched for the differences, they said there were none.
But there are. Social sciences are more advanced compared to social studies because they create knowledge, which the latter just shares.
