Exploring the differences between social and behavioral science.

Abstract

Even though social science and behavioral science are interconnected and both study behaviors, there are some noteworthy differences between the two fields at the level of scientific analysis of behavior. In this article, a definition of social science is put forward as the study of relationships between macro type variables, like culture and society, and micro type variables such as how people behave. Behavioral science, on the other hand, is the organized study of human and animal behavior through controlled systematic structure. The differences in the fields pertaining to contextual manipulation, operationalization and creation of variables are discussed. Factor analysis has been suggested as potential solution for social science research. Model of Hierarchical Complexity (MHC) as the potential bridge between the 2 fields is discussed. Social science can expand its social value by adapting behavioral science research models. Furthermore, behavioral science needs to expand its scope to take on social science issues.

Mapping the Landscape of Behavioral Theories: Systematic Literature Review

“…that examine human activities in an attempt to discover recurrent patterns and to formulate rules about social behavior” (Collins English Dictionary 2018a). In this sense, the term behavioral science gets often used interchangeably with social science because they are interconnected and both examine behaviors (Adhikari 2016). Adhikari (2016, 128) suggests that the difference is “at the level of scientific analysis of behavior” where social science is “the study of relationships between macro type variables, like culture and society, and micro type variables such as how people behave” while behavioral science is “the organized study of human and animal behavior through controlled systematic structure” where “the experimenter selects and organizes participants into groups, operates variables, and obtain measures of participants’ responses.” Main subfields within behavioral science tend to be multidisciplinary fields with cognitive, neuro, and social elements such as social, developmental, and experimental psychology, cognitive neuroscience, neurobiology, sociology, biological and social anthropology, and behavioral economics; however, the boundary of the term is not clear-cut in that it can include other disciplines such as management science, philosophy, education, politics, criminology, linguistics, and health sciences (University of Cambridge 2018; Adhikari 2016; London School of Economics 2018).…”

“…that examine human activities in an attempt to discover recurrent patterns and to formulate rules about social behavior" (Collins English Dictionary 2018a). In this sense, the term behavioral science gets often used interchangeably with social science because they are interconnected and both examine behaviors (Adhikari 2016). Adhikari (2016, 128) suggests that the difference is "at the level of scientific analysis of behavior" where social science is "the study of relationships between macro type variables, like culture and society, and micro type variables such as how people behave" while behavioral science is "the organized study of human and animal behavior through controlled systematic structure" where "the experimenter selects and organizes participants into groups, operates variables, and obtain measures of participants' responses."…”

“…The term “behavioral” in the context of behavioral sciences has become especially fashionable in recent years as an innovative and alternative approach in many disciplines. These not only include the disciplines considered part of behavioral sciences such as psychology, cognitive neuroscience, sociology, and behavioral economics (University of Cambridge 2018; Adhikari 2016; London School of Economics 2018) but also health-care sciences, computer science, engineering, and education as well as the disciplines closely related to planning such as transportation, sociology, and environmental science (Web of Science [WoS] 2018a). One cause of this increased interest (Google Trends 2017; WoS 2018a) can be the substantial emphasis that the two recent Nobel laureates produced in behavioral economics, Kahneman in 2002 and Thaler in 2017, exponentially promoting the importance of behavioral theories for the sciences and social sciences in general.…”

A future of digital leadership that is behavioural by design

“…Behavioural science is a branch of psychology that recognises the difference between what we want to do and what we actually do. 1,2 In practice, this often involves the blending of economics and psychology (which is why Daniel Kahneman, a psychologist, won the Nobel prize for economics in 2002).…”

Four Dates, One Future

“…SBHS is an interdisciplinary field of public health that aims to understand the role and relationship between structural and social relations, as well as individual level behaviour, in producing health and illness. 24,25 Context, namely through the analysis of global, socio-cultural, economic, and political structures, is at the core of SBHS. Health and illness are inextricably linked within these structures and therefore reflects their value systemssystems that have historically centered heterosexist, cissexist, racist, and classist principles.…”