Science is a word that we hear very often when we start studying different topics. These are of course different kinds of sciences, right? In this article, we will discuss a question that I find very interesting; is psychology, a social science or a natural science?
What is Psychology?
Psychology is The Science of How People Think, Feel and Behave It helps us understand the behaviour of people and know, how human minds function. For instance, psychologists (people who study psychology) ask questions like “Why we feel happy when playing with our friends? or was it “What are we afraid of in the dark?
Mind and behaviour:-Psychology is the system of science that explains human conduct via keeping a close tune between mental strategies then bodily events. But what does it have to do with science? Let’s find out.
What are Natural Sciences?
So, the subjects that deal with the natural world are called Natural sciences. Stuff like animals, plants and even rocks from the ground to also up in the sky all out through space and so on Natural sciences, examples would include biology, chemistry or physics.
Many of these sciences involve experiments and observation to further understand the world around us. In natural sciences, scientists ask: What is the sun? or “How do plants grow?” That is, they search for the regularities and laws of nature. Natural Sciences- Anything in the physical world
What are Social Sciences?
Social sciences, however, consider man and his interaction with other men. This is true of learning how societies operate, the differences between cultures and both nonverbal and verbal communication. Sociology, anthropology and economics are examples of social sciences.
For example, in the social sciences, it is possible to ask such questions as “Why do people live in cities? or, “Are the traditions people follow affect what they do?” They seek to understand how humans have come together and why societies work.
Where Does Psychology Fit In?
So we have talked about what is a natural and social science, now where does psychology stand? Psychology seems as though it could be treated like a physical science, in that it relates to the mind and how exactly thinking works.
Yes, while it is clear that psychology intersects with social science by the very nature of studying how people behave in groups. Psychology, Nature Or Nurture So Is Psychology A Natural Science, Social Science or Both?
Well, psychology is a little bit of each. It observes the mind (analogous to the brain in natural science) and it also examines conduct (akin to studying society in social science). Ah, let us unpack that even more.
The idea that psychology is a natural science
Psychologists act as natural scientists when they study how the brain functions. For instance, they may research how the brain works for emotions such as happiness and sadness.
They might look at brain scans to understand what happens in the brain of someone who is experiencing excitement or fear. This area of psychology is quite called biology as it covers the studying part of the human brain and its function.
Certain psychologists even perform experiments to understand how the atmosphere works. For instance, they might study how people remember things or work out problems. This type of study is very scientific and typically the same research found in natural sciences like biology, chemistry etc.
Social Science: Psychology
Anyway, in psychology it is not all about the brain. It is also more about the way that people act, particularly when they are not being by themselves. Here psychology gets more into the social science aspect of things.
Psychologists, for instance, try to understand how we learn from our parents, teachers and friends. This could include researching social development in children or how friendships are formed among people.
Psychologists are also curious about how the society we live in influences who or what to be. They could, for instance, perform research on the relationship between culture and behaviour or analyse whether social media affects self-esteem. It is these questions that link psychology to other social sciences like sociology and anthropology.
Psychology as a Science of Sciences
But does that mean psychology is either/or and not anything in between like the researchers did, or can we say it falls somewhere between? The answer is that it’s both! It is a connector of natural sciences and social sciences in the name of psychology.
Besides, who kills the hosts and can connect our knowledge of the brain with what we know about behaviour and society? And all of that is what makes psychology so fascinating.
We can lean back to get a big-picture view of how our minds see and relate to the world outside us. Psychology studies people, no matter if you focus on the brain or society.
Why This Matters
Therefore, the fact that psychology is both a natural and social science makes us understand just how difficult or truly fascinating the nature of our mind can be.
As it turns, out to understand ourselves and others better we have to look at both the physical sphere of our lives as well as concerning how society treats us.
For instance, by better understanding how the brain functions we can find more effective ways to help people who are sad or anxious. And when we can improve the lives of people by understanding human society, you know that is going to make your world a better place.
How Psychologists Work
There are many tools and methods that psychologists use to help study human thoughts, actions, experiences or behaviours. On occasion, they carry out experiments the way scientists do in physical research.
At other times, they might simply watch people in the course of their normal lives closer to what some social scientists would do. A facet of studying behaviour primarily done by psychologists is through observing how people socialize with others.
They might watch children play together, and what they like and don’t. They might also research how people make decisions or solve problems.
Psychology in Everyday Life
Psychology is not something that only happens in a lab or research papers. We hear it in our homely surroundings. When you learn something new at school, that is your brain working! When you play with your friends, it engages skills that psychologists study: social ones.
Psychology lets us know about behaviours. It can assist us in getting to know ourselves, thus understanding the different ways that make our emotions tick. And it can help us to understand one another so that we might find harmony and solutions.
Facts About Psychology
They all sound like the same job but, did you know there are different types of psychologists? Psychologists, Some of them help people control their emotions.
It could even be useful for someone who is feeling sad or anxious. Some psychologists study how people learn so that teachers can teach better. There are even psychologists who study animals to see how many different species think, behave and act.
Also, it is a fact that psychology has various fields. Others who research memory are psychologists, exploring how it is that things wind up in our memories the same way they investigate attention. Still others are in perception, our way of the world that we can see or hear or feel.
The Psychoholic Wizard of Oz
How amazing, the field of psychology helps us grasp both our minds as well as behaviour. It is a science that bridges the gap between nature and nurture, enlightening us on how our brains function about one another.
Well then, that tells us when someone else asks, “Is psychology a social science or natural science?” It will be safe to say that it is yours!) It changes the way we view everything from why we smile, and get sad, and even how or why we friends and solve problems.
So as you keep learning, remember that psychology is the study of people. In either case, you are entering the intriguing realm of human psychology an area that will shed light on everything from how people think to why they behave in certain ways. And who knows? Who knows, you might grow up to be a psychologist and offer an explanation of the mind and behaviour!
This article is suitable for young learners as it covers both natural science and social science aspects of psychology. It is written in simple words and explained clearly so that related to principles of the Koray framework, psychology can be connected with on one side central entities ( it appears here as a natural science) while in another micro-context (a social science).
