soft science

American  

noun

1. any of the specialized fields or disciplines, as psychology, sociology, anthropology, or political science, that interpret human behavior, institutions, society, etc., on the basis of scientific investigations for which it may be difficult to establish strictly measurable criteria.

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soft science British  

noun

1. a science, such as sociology or anthropology, that deals with humans as its principle subject matter, and is therefore not generally considered to be based on rigorous experimentation

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Etymology

Origin of soft science

First recorded in 1965–70

Compare meaning

How does soft-science compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• hard science vs. soft science

Example Sentences

His alleged offense, Insel says, was focusing on the "soft science" of attachment rather than the "hard science" of motor control or visual processing.

From Salon • Apr. 17, 2022

I really tried to keep it soft science, but I’ve got a feeling it’s probably somewhere in the middle.

From The Verge • Jul. 15, 2019

But the indisputable star of this exercise in soft science from the inventive British troupe Improbable, at the Gerald W. Lynch Theater of John Jay College through Wednesday, is its charismatic title character.

From New York Times • Jul. 11, 2017

It wanted to move from being a soft science to a hard science.

From Forbes • Sep. 2, 2014

When humanistic courses were introduced in the 1970s, high-powered students resisted what they viewed as soft science.

From Time Magazine Archive