What is Social Science?

Social science helps to improve people’s lives by addressing health, education, justice, the economy, and other fields. In particular, it provides tools to effectively measure social dynamics. That is, scientific methods, theories, and other insights about how societies and social relationships work. Social science integrates knowledge about society and the environment, as well as individual agency, the mind, organisations, and community relationships.

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The Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia defines social science as a broad range of disciplines “that use systematic methods to understand, describe, educate, predict an influence the social world”:

“Their defining feature is a focus on the social. Social in this context refers to events, objects, rules, patterns and other things that emerge spontaneously or by design when humans interact in groups.”

The social sciences encompass foundational areas, such as sociology and psychology, as well as policy and human services fields, such as social work and business, and interdisciplinary areas that overlap with other traditions, such as the humanities and design.

Table 1: Examples of social science disciplines

Foundational

Sociology

Anthropology

Psychology

Economics

Services

Politics

Business

Social work

International studies

Interdisciplinary

Law

Education

Architecture

Geography

The Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia shows that the social sciences complements the natural sciences and arts and humanities. Social science primarily address human products collectively produced or with collective impact. This includes the way humans organise around economic, political and cultural systems, and the impact of the natural world and the arts on human populations.

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The Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia argues that the social sciences address the societal dynamics that impact our life chances and opportunities:

“Social systems shape our lives. Our education and health, our happiness and our grief, our families and freedoms, our beliefs and expressions. Who we love and how we die, how we can contribute and what gives our lives meaning. How our children are born and how they are raised. Almost everything we do and experience is inherently social.”

Similarly, the Academy of Social Sciences (UK) describes social science as the exploration of “how people, communities and society influence the world around us”:

“It looks at how people behave, examines social, economic and political processes, and understands how and why people interact in the way they do with each other and the environment.”

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Why does social science matter?

In order for humans to make progress in medicine, technology, entrepreneurship and in other spheres, we need to understand how people are influenced by different fields of science and the economy, as well as how they benefit from new and existing innovations.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) shows how the social sciences contribute to health policies, the environment, justice, and positive governance:

“Social sciences contribute to informed reflection in public life… Social sciences make an important contribution to the public knowledge essential for democratic processes, supporting… accountability, evidence-based evaluation of policies, and the improvement of the quality of decision-making.”

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Quote source: UNESCO (2013). Image: Social Science Insights
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Below are some examples of how we use social science to make positive change:

  • Ethical governance
  • Ending discrimination
  • Bolstering social welfare
  • Mitigating climate change
  • Improving health programs
  • Designing sustainable cities
  • Using data to solve problems
  • Support for small businesses
  • Evaluating government policies
  • Safeguards for new technologies
  • Conflict negotiation between states
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The Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia identifies eight examples of how social science improves our lives:

  1. Protect and uphold democracy
  2. Prevent or correct misuse of technology
  3. Develop effective strategies to preserve the environment
  4. Improve the fairness and accountability of public institutions
  5. Identify and address inequality
  6. Continuously improve education
  7. Understand and deal with public health problems
  8. Improve our chances at prosperity and happiness
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Information source: The Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia. Image: Social Science Insights

Social science methods measure impact

Social scientists contribute to enhanced business, policy and communities by using a range of scientific research methodologies, such as surveys, interviews, case studies, audits, and statistical analyses.

In a government, community or business context, social scientists also use ethnography, a suite of observational tools to study individuals and groups interacting in their everyday lives, with the purpose of improving policies and procedures.

Social science is also used in social marketing, the application of commercial strategies in and social science to target complex social problems, and influence behaviours, for the greater social good. For example, to track and improve outcomes and otherwise improve public information campaigns.

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  • Drawing of two young women in hijab walking through a park holding books, bags, and coffees. Text: Social science integrates knowledge about society and environment
  • Drawing of an Asian woman wearing glasses dressed in a suit. She sits at a table, facing opposite a man. Text: Social scientists enhance policies and services
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Social science has diverse applications

Social science uses evidence to:

  • Plan projects
  • Create policies
  • Evaluate programs
  • Uphold ethical conduct
  • Human rights protection
  • Improve customer services
  • Advocacy for vulnerable groups
  • Anti-discrimination and eliminating bias
  • Accountability and monitoring corporations
  • Sustainability and ending environmental damage
Drawings of white hands over a building plan with rules and pens nearby, and a Black man with his hand to his chin as he inspects a graph. Text: Social scientists use evidence to create policies, plans, programs
Drawings of a diverse trio looking at documents and a laptop, and an elderly man holding a stick as he and his grandson sit at the roots of a giant tree. Text: Social scientists use evidence to improve customer relations, stop environemntal damange, eliminate bias, and monitor accountability

Social science shapes policy

Governments see that social science methods are highly useful in drafting social policy and to improve workplace practices. A survey by Jane Tinkler from the London School of Economics finds that 19% of USA policy makers use social science arguments daily in their work; a further 53% use social science a few times daily or at least monthly; and 21% said they use it at least once a year.

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Social science helps local government enhance delivery of public health. This includes improving community wellbeing for Indigenous Australians through culturally relevant services and justice programs.

For state government, social science can assist in program evaluation and environmental health and safety for state services.

At the national level, social science can address health policy issues such as work-life balance and better supporting family life and aged care. At the individual level, social science helps empower patients to take better care of their illnesses.

Social science is also used in community and social services, to tailor programs for disadvantaged and at-risk youth and to address unemployment.

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  • Two older white people against a white ocean background, wearing matching white shirts, huddling close together. Text: At the national level, social science theories shape policy solutions
  • Diverse group of young people dressed in white, leaning against a white wall. Text: At the community level, social science methods hep to tailor programs
  • A white man dressed in a white vest, who has an artificial leg, sits on a black chair in a white room. Text: At the individual level, social science tools and practices can empower customers

Social science improves business

Social science assists executive governance and aids senior leaders to be more flexible when thinking about communication and workplace culture. Using social science consultancy, managers can open up conversations about mental health at work. Entrepreneurs can also examine social influences on their careers using social science research.

Social sciences are used to improve gender equity and diversity, so that leadership is more inclusive and makes the most of everyone’s skills. Social science also helps us think critically about what we take for granted, such as finding new ways to think about leadership and the role of empathy in organisations.

Social science research also examines customer services and makes recommendations to improve business culture, including through enhanced concentration and improve morale through more meaningful work.  Social science is also used to review and enhance workplace procedures and policies, including hiring and promotions and programs for corporate good.

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  • Drawing of an older white woman and a younger white man with a beard smiling while holding papers. Text: using social science theory, managers can better navigate conversations about mental health at work
  • Drawing of two white people in a meeting, with graphs displayed in front of them on a table. Text: Entreprenerus can examine social influences on their customers using social science
  • Drawing of a young white woman looking up , with the light haloing her. Text: Social science improves gender equity and diversity
  • Drawing of a white woman crying into a tissue as she sits on a couch, with a woman therapist leaning towards her. Text: Social science helps us think critically about what we take for granted, and how to change
  • Drawings of a South Asian medical worker talking with an Eastern Asain woman in a lobby, and a multi-racial team talking around a table. Text: Rethink workplace culture
  • Drawing of two Black people and a white man talking during a meeting with their laptops open. Text: social science is used to review and reform workplace policies and procedures

Social science informs media

Social science is essential for organisations looking to be aware of their responsibilities when crafting their social media policies and management. Social science also supports organisations to use social media effectively within their teams.

Social science provides the most rigorous and informed way to find your corporate “voice” on social platforms and to find and fruitfully communicate with their unique audience.

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Drawings of a Black man at an outdoor cafe, with earpods, watching his phone and holding a takeaway cup, and an older white woman in a chequered jacket looking at her phone and smiling. Text: Examples of social media uses to find your corporate voice, tesing, responsibilties, and tools

Notes

This is an evolving resource. It was last updated on 30 July 2026.

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