Psychology

Psychology is a social science and is the study of the human mind and how it functions. Psychology examines internal processes and observable behaviors, seeing how those behaviors affect everyday life. 

Psychology helps us understand how the human brain works, researching how and why humans feel, think, and act the way that they do. Psychology supports the nature side of the argument, looking at how our brain structure and body functions contribute to our lives.

Psychology has different perspectives to observe from, and different psychologists use different perspectives. These perspectives are different lenses that psychologists use to understand human behavior and mental processes. The psychological perspectives are biological perspective, psychodynamic perspective, evolutionary perspective, humanistic perspective, cognitive perspective, sociocultural perspective, and biopsychosocial perspective.

Sociology

Sociology is a social science that studies society, social life, and social change. Understanding how those factors affect human behavior.

Instead of looking inside the body and brain or just observing an individual to understand why humans do what they do, sociologists look at groups and try to understand how their environment and experiences affect them.

Nature vs. Nurture

Nature vs. nurture is an argument that social scientists study in fields like psychology and sociology. Scientists use Nature vs. nurture as an argument to consider what impacts human behavior and traits.

Nature represents genetics and biological factors, arguing that some natural skills are genetically hardwired into our brains. Factors of nature consist of brain chemistry, genetics, heredity, and maturation.

Nurture refers to how environmental factors influence the person that you are. Environmental factors include parenting methods, socioeconomic status, childhood experiences, culture, education, and general environment.

Micro vs. Macro Scale

The micro and macro scales define how large of a group social scientists use to collect their research.

Psychologists often use the micro scale, which is more specific and personal. Sociologists often use the macro scale, which observes large societal populations.

Psychologists often examine an individual’s behavior and reactions. The situations being observed are specific to that individual and how traits and behaviors are specified to them.

When sociologists use a macro scale, they observe the bigger picture. Sociologists examine how social structures – such as government, economics, and social institutions – influence populations. Sociology on the macro scale focuses on social inequality and social institutions observing how those things impact the social environment.

Where They Overlap

Psychology and Sociology overlap through branches called social psychology and personality psychology. 

Social psychology explores how people’s thoughts, feelings and behaviors are influenced by the presence of others. Social psychology studies situations rather than individuals, so the research is more helpful to more people.

Personality psychology studies individual differences in how people think, feel, and behave and how those things come together as a whole.

Both of these perspectives of psychology strive to understand how people become who they are and how groups think about, influence, and relate to each other.

Social psychology and sociology are similar, but what separates them is that social psychology studies how individuals try to function in society. Whereas sociology focuses on how groups function in society.

Real world Impact

Psychological and sociological studies create careers that often help people who have mental health disorders.

The studies of psychology and sociology create careers like therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists. 

Psychotherapy is one of the most common ways that individuals with mental health issues can seek help. Psychotherapy – also referred to as talk therapy – is a treatment that helps struggling patients identify and change their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors.

Psychiatry is a medical field focused on the study of psychology. Psychiatrists prescribe medications and treatments for patients with mental, emotional, and behavioral health conditions. 

Psychologists diagnose patients’ neurological conditions through evaluation. Psychologists often hold a Ph.D. or Psy.D and cannot prescribe medication to patients but can provide psychotherapy.

Why We Need Both Perspectives

Individually, psychology and sociology observe and understand why people act, think, and feel the way they do. But they are only looking from one perspective. Sociologists can’t always get all of the information they need by only looking at outside effects; they might need assistance from psychologists, or the other way around.

Looking through multiple lenses provides a more clear and explainable overview of patients. Social scientists can’t always understand and solve a problem by only observing environmental effects or only observing the effects of brain chemistry.

Psychology provides the blueprint for human behavior and mental processes. Sociology examines the environment and maps the world people live in.

Individually these studies are both equally important processes in understanding and explaining human behavior.