Educational attainment of social scientists is among the highest of all occupations. Job opportunities are expected to be best in social service agencies, research and testing services, and management consulting firms. The major social science occupations covered in this statement include anthropologists, geographers, historians, political scientists, and sociologists. Their research provides insights that help us understand different ways in which individuals and groups make decisions, exercise power, and respond to change. Through their studies and analyses, social scientists suggest solutions to social, business, personal, governmental, and environmental problems.
Research is a major activity for many social scientists.
They use various methods to assemble facts and construct theories. Applied research usually is designed to produce information that will enable people to make better decisions or manage their affairs more effectively. Interviews and surveys are widely used to collect facts, opinions, or other information. Specialists in one field, however, often find that their research overlaps work being conducted in another discipline. Anthropologists study the origin and the physical, social, and cultural development and behavior of humans.