Anthropology vs. Sociology

Both anthropology and sociology deal with the study of humans. In fact, sociology is a type of anthropology that focuses more narrowly on just social behavior of humans.

Anthropology is the study of humans, both past and present, including their cultures, physical traits, behaviors, and how they interact with one another. It is helpful in understanding how and why certain cultures have developed differently. The word anthropology is formed from the Greek root "anthrop," meaning human and the suffix -ology, which means the study or science of. Anthropology includes many specialized branches that each focus on different aspects of humans, such as learning, politics, evolution, and religion.

Sociology is the branch of anthropology that studies human social behavior, both past and present. The word is formed from the root "soci," meaning social or society and the suffix -ology, which means the study or science of. Sociology is a specialized branch of anthropology that focuses specifically on human social relationships and constructs.

The two areas of study have many similarities and both are true sciences that involve investigation and experimentation. Anthropologists, however, must rely to some degree on second-hand knowledge while sociologists can typically gather first-hand knowledge.