Social science is the study of human behavior. It offers the tools to understand and explain people's choices and actions, and how they live in communities. With insights from social science, organizations and individuals may be persuaded to change their behavior, making a difference in addressing societal challenges. Social science can offer us the answers to key questions, such as why do some people gamble, eat unhealthy foods, or hold racist beliefs? How do families allocate household tasks, raise children, or manage grief? How do companies weigh profit against sustainability, decide to invest, or adopt policies to address unequal pay?

This Very Short Introduction offers an overview of social science, explaining how methods and theory from different disciplines can be applied and combined to address major global challenges. It aims to equip students, scholars, and practitioners to analyze, interpret, and undertake social science research. Drawing upon inspiring examples, it shows how social scientists can have real-world impact and change the world for the better. It unpacks cutting-edge themes such as behavioral science, human data science, and the ways in which social science can work collaboratively with the natural sciences and humanities. It offers a vision for the future of social science that is interdisciplinary, inclusive, and impactful.