Final answer:
History is considered a social science due to its systematic study of human behavior and societal development, employing methods similar to other social sciences to analyze causation and the social construction of reality.
Step-by-step explanation:
History is considered a social science because it involves the study of human behavior and societal development over time. Social sciences aim to understand various aspects of human behavior and social interaction, applying systematic methods of investigation to develop theories and insights. History, as a discipline, engages in this by studying past events and examining the forces that have shaped human experiences, thus contributing to our understanding of human nature and societal progress.
Historians employ a multifaceted approach to understand the causation behind events, which involves evaluating both immediate and long-term circumstances. By analyzing different layers of causation, from the individual to societal levels, historians aim to rank their importance in shaping outcomes. The field of history encompasses various perspectives, including social history, which looks at all classes of people, not just the elite, and is informed by other frameworks like Marxism, feminism, and postcolonialism, contributing to the dynamic field called revisionism.
Moreover, history as a social science recognizes the importance of the social construction of reality, acknowledging how individuals and societies perceive and define their roles based on their social context. Understanding this concept is crucial since it affects how history is interpreted and taught. Therefore, the study of history interrelates with broader social sciences by analyzing human behavior and societal development through various interpretative lenses.