natural science

Psychology

(noun)

Sciences concerned with predicting and describing natural phenomena (e.g., biology, physics, or chemistry), using systematic data collection and performing controlled experiments.

Related Terms

  • theory
  • hypothesis
  • variable
  • scientific method
  • hard science
  • soft science
  • social science
Writing

(noun)

A science involved in studying phenomena or laws of the physical world; a general term of physics, chemistry, biology, astronomy, and so on.

Related Terms

  • creative writing
  • social science

Examples of natural science in the following topics:

  • Writing in Different Academic Disciplines

    • Academic writing conventions vary substantially according to discipline—that is, whether one is working in the humanities, the social or natural sciences, or business.
    • Science writing includes writing in two main categories: natural sciences and social sciences.
    • These include physical sciences such as biology, chemistry, engineering, geology, physics, and so forth.
    • The social sciences, on the other hand, focus on human behavior and societies.
    • Categories of social science include psychology, anthropology, political science, sociology, education, and economics.
  • Sociology and Science

    • Early sociological studies were thought to be similar to the natural sciences due to their use of empiricism and the scientific method.
    • Early sociological studies considered the field of sociology to be similar to the natural sciences, like physics or biology.
    • As a result, many researchers argued that the methodology used in the natural sciences was perfectly suited for use in the social sciences.
    • This also resulted in sociology being recognized as an empirical science.
    • The goal of positivism, like the natural sciences, is prediction.
  • Sociology and the Social Sciences

    • The social science disciplines also include psychology, political science, and economics, among other fields.
    • In ancient philosophy, there was no difference between science and humanities.
    • Newton made a sharp distinction between the natural world, which he asserted was an independent reality that operated by its own laws, and the human or spiritual world.
    • The social sciences occupy a middle position between the "hard" natural sciences and the interpretive bent of the humanities.
    • Isaac Newton was a key figure in the process which split the natural sciences from the humanities.
  • Making Connections Across Disciplines

    • Writing in science includes two main categories: natural sciences and social sciences.
    • Natural sciences include pure sciences and applied sciences.
    • Pure sciences are life sciences, physical sciences, and earth sciences.
    • Applied sciences include medical sciences, engineering sciences, and computer science.
    • Categories of social science include psychology, anthropology, political science, sociology, education, business, and economics.
  • Towards a Systematic Conceptualization of Politics

    • Like the other social sciences, political science focuses on all three basic types of social power: the pen, the purse, and the sword.
    • Political science is no exception to this general need for fundamental concepts.
    • A similar takeoff in biological science appears to be shaping up.
    • But where do we see any signs that political science is having an impact on the world?
    • The pattern is quite unlike that in the natural sciences, where breakthroughs in fundamental analysis (e.g.
  • Scientific Reasoning

    • Science is knowledge obtained from logical inferences and deductive experimentation that attempts to comprehend nature.
    • Although using the scientific method is inherent to science, it is inadequate in determining what science is.
    • These areas of study are still sciences, however.
    • Science may be better defined as fields of study that attempt to comprehend the nature of the universe.
    • Descriptive science and hypothesis-based science are in continuous dialogue.
  • Nature vs. Nurture: A False Debate

    • A "genetic predisposition to violence" could be a mitigating factor in crime if the science behind genetic determinants can be found conclusive.
    • In the social and political sciences, the nature versus nurture debate may be compared with the structure versus agency debate, a similar discussion over whether social structure or individual agency (choice or free will) is more important for determining individual and social outcomes.
    • The "nature" in the nature versus nurture debate generally refers to innate qualities.
    • In historical terms, nature might refer to human nature or the soul.
    • The "nature" side may be criticized for implying that we behave in ways in which we are naturally inclined, rather than in ways we choose.
  • Basic and Applied Science

    • Basic science increases the knowledge base of a field of research while applied science uses that knowledge to solve specific problems.
    • This question focuses on the differences between two types of science: basic science and applied science.
    • In contrast, applied science or "technology" aims to use science to solve real-world problems such as improving crop yields, finding a cure for a particular disease, or saving animals threatened by a natural disaster .
    • Some individuals may perceive applied science as "useful" and basic science as "useless."
    • Without basic science, it is unlikely that applied science would exist.
  • References

    • Freyberg (Eds.), Learning in Science: The Implications of Children's Science (pp. 101-111).
    • Conceptual change approaches in science education.
    • The changing nature of work/Restructuring the employment relationship/A theory of employment systems: Micro-foundations of societal diversity/Employee representation.
    • Instructional Science, 11, 183-200.
    • Science Education, 66, 211-227.
  • Introduction to the Four Functions of Governmen

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