Anthropologist study humans and human cultures around the world, both past and present. Traditionally, anthropology has included four distinct areas. Biological anthropology studies the biological history of humans and their ancestors. Cultural anthropology studies the nature and structures of contemporary human cultures. Archaeology studies the remains of past cultures in order to understand their society, cultures and beliefs. Linguistic anthropology studies the composition of languages and their place within the larger context of global communication.
Sociologists study how humans interact in societies. While sociologists may study many aspects of human societies and may, at some times, appear to be anthropologists, sociologists often focus on the way in which humans associate with one another, formally and informally. This includes examining the way in which people organize themselves into social groups, friend circles and professional associations. Sociologists may study a variety of topics under the umbrella of sociology, including social stratification, demographics and criminology.
Economists study the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services. Broadly, economists study the way that people in societies make and spend money. Economists may focus on macroeconomics, which studies the ways in which people act as an entire system, such as the way the entire economies of two countries interact. Alternately, economists may study microeconomics, which focuses on the way that individuals act within a system.
Political scientists study the way in which people organize and govern themselves. Political scientists may study local, national or international governmental structures. They may focus on legal systems, such as the laws of the United States, or different systems of government, such as parliamentary democracies. Political scientists may also study politics directly, examining how people win elections or how politicians interact to make decisions.